Learn to Love
by SoulMalady
Summary: Harry is a teacher at a preparatory school for young wizards and witches, and that is where he meets five-year-old Scorpius Malfoy. His fascination for the boy grows as their bond strengthens through teaching and learning. It isn't long before Draco is drawn into an evolving relationship. Draco/Harry slash
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: All characters and settings are part of J. K. Rowling's creation :)

* * *

Harry Potter sat behind the teacher's desk with a quill in one hand and his eyes raised from his book to scan the room of twenty five-year-old children who were busily drawing masterpieces. The new school year had started just three days ago and at least half of his students were already settled in. Those were the children he and Gabrielle Delacour, his partner in crime and teaching, would never have to worry about.

The other half would prove to be a bit more difficult.

First there were the few who thought drawing hour was for throwing small pieces of rolled up scrap paper at each other. Then there were the few who liked to draw on _other_ children's books rather than their own. Then there was the handful that thought that wandering towards the toy box was acceptable.

Harry walked towards the table by the window, peeking over his students' heads to look at some drawings. There really was no structure to this assignment, of course. It was simply to gauge each student's level. He noticed that many of the children just scribbled on the paper with no purpose while others tried to impress each other and their teachers with their grown-up painting skills.

There was always that single frustrated artist.

Harry knelt down next to Scorpius Malfoy and watched the boy blink rapidly with his chin tucked to his chest.

The teacher had been somewhat startled when he found out that Draco Malfoy's son was going to attend such a 'lowly' and unstructured school. He had thought that nothing but the best private tutors would be good enough for the young Malfoy prince. However, this boy was more of a mouse than a prince. He never spoke, always stared at his feet and mumbled his answers through barely parted lips. He looked like a Malfoy, but he acted like a Pettigrew.

It wasn't long before Harry started to feel sorry for the kid. He examined the picture. It wasn't that bad. Scorpius had drawn a large, irregular sunflower surrounded by jagged clouds. He hadn't even started coloring it in yet. It seemed just penciling an outline had reduced him to tears.

"Hey, buddy. Let's try something here, shall we?" Harry murmured as he eased the pencil from Scorpius' tight fist. The boy quickly wiped his damp eyes and looked away. Harry smiled to himself as he rounded a few petals, erased a few errant lines and made a few clouds fluffier until the picture looked presentable. "Perfect, see?" he said encouragingly, moving the paper towards Scorpius.

"Okay."

Harry bit the side of cheek when he realized that Scorpius didn't think it was okay at all. "Alright, what should we do to make it more perfect?" he asked.

"I don't know."

There was little point in trying to reason with a sulking boy. Harry didn't try harder. He simply nodded and moved to pat Scorpius' arm.

The boy flinched away, startling Harry and a few children around them. That wasn't a normal reaction to an absentminded touch. Harry inconspicuously pulled his hand back and away from Scorpius. "Maybe, after you color it, you will like it," he said with a gentle lilt to his voice so as to not scare the pale boy. "Show me when you're finished."

Scorpius didn't say anything.

"Okay, Scorpius?" Harry urged.

"Mhm," Scorpius mumbled reluctantly.

In the upcoming weeks, it soon became apparent that the students favored playtime and drawing hour more than the time they spent on academic learning. Gabrielle and Harry were always exhausted come naptime. This year's class seemed to be much more energetic than the classes they had taught before.

Harry occasionally watched Scorpius play. The boy was always alone. He didn't make friends well because he never smiled. He also never talked to his peers. If someone tried to play with him, he never pulled a tantrum. He would simply stand aside and let his classmate grab the toy right out of his hands. Gabrielle had tried instigating a few playgroups in an attempt to include all the shy children. Even so, Scorpius didn't seem to think so highly of all the cooking games and freeze tag attempts. He just appeared disinterested all the time.

Harry sat beside him one afternoon as they got ready for naptime. "Why don't you play with the other children, Scorpius?" he asked.

"That's okay," Scorpius answered while getting under his blanket and rolling away from Harry. He was the only child who didn't bring a stuffed animal to school to hold while sleeping.

"Malfoy's boy, Scorpius. Strange kid," Harry told Hermione and Ron as he bounced baby Hugo on his lap. "He's so quiet."

"Probably thinks school is beneath him," Ron muttered.

"Really, Ron," Hermione tsked. Then she asked Harry, "Is he rude or just quiet?"

"Just quiet. But sometimes it translates to rudeness, I guess. I don't think he means it, though."

"Draw him out, then. Talk to him about things boys like to talk about."

So that's what Harry tried.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters, Scorpius?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer.

Scorpius shook his head. He didn't bother to look up from his picture book.

Harry flicked invisible lint off his trousers as he nodded. "Pets?"

"No."

"Then?"

The young boy shrugged.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry prodded.

Scorpius finally looked up at Harry. "I don't know what to say," he said plainly.

Harry was shaken by the point-blank answer, but he tried not to show it. "I see." He realized that he was being too nosy and getting into personal affairs. That answer was definitely not a typical one. "So if you _could_ have a pet, what would you like?"

"I don't want a pet."

"Not even a fish?"

"Not even a fish," Scorpius muttered. He looked down at his book and glared at it studiously, perhaps hoping for his teacher to go away if he ignored the man for long enough. But Harry was just as stubborn. Scorpius flipped the page in his book deliberately and Harry didn't budge. Then Scorpius exhaled without pretending to hide his exasperation. "You shouldn't be nice to me," he finally said.

"Pardon?"

Scorpius scowled at the page.

Harry blinked in dismay. What had the child meant? "Why shouldn't I be nice to you?" he asked.

"Because you shouldn't," Scorpius maintained, now resorting to actively turning his back to Harry.

"Scorpius," Harry tried again by reaching out and attempting to turn the boy.

Scorpius jerked his arm out of Harry's grip and scooted away quickly before hunching over and pressing his hands against his ears so he could read in peace. Harry glanced up at Gabrielle as his stomach churned.

* * *

Harry's attention wandered when he heard his name being mentioned in the passing.

He saw a group of children sitting huddled in one corner of the room, exchanging stories and giggles. Listening in on them, he realized that they were talking about him.

"My mum said he was the coolest boy in school."

"He's not _that_ cool."

"He _is_. Mum said so! She said he beat all the bad people. She says he's cool."

"Then why's he a teacher?"

"Because he's cool."

Harry smiled privately.

"Why's he cool?"

The children turned as one to look up at Scorpius in wonder. Scorpius stood his ground with his hands at his hips and his lips pursed into a determined line. Harry was taken aback immensely by the initiative the child had taken in asking the question despite not being included in the conversation.

While some of the children turned back around nervously, a few smiled up at Scorpius, beckoning him to join them. Scorpius shook his head mutely. To emphasize his intentions, he even shuffled back a bit.

Fortunately, most of the kids weren't old enough to understand body language all that well. Harry had been flinching through the whole fifteen-second scene, wondering if it was time for him to intervene yet.

"You don't know about Harry Potter?" one of the boys asked incredulously. "I thought _everyone_ knew about it."

"Know what?" Scorpius asked.

"That he's really nice," a girl chimed in. Harry looked down while blushing modestly. Just in time too because the children now turned their attention to their teacher, admiring him from afar. "My brother said that I'm so lucky that I get to be in Harry's class. He said that Harry was still a little boy when he beat the bad man. And he-"

"Is he nice to you too?" Scorpius sullenly interrupted.

"Yeah!" was the consensus.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry watched Scorpius scuff his shoe on the floor for a few moments before turning around and walking back to his solitary corner. He pretended not to notice when the boy glanced at him fervently.

* * *

Harry was startled out of his project when he heard a strangled gasp followed by rustling of blankets. Looking out at the sea of his students, he found Scorpius sitting up straight-backed and unmoving. Worried that the boy had been woken up by a nightmare, Harry hurried over to him as quietly as he could. He didn't want to wake any other children up unnecessarily.

"Hey, buddy," he whispered as he knelt down next to the boy.

Scorpius' chin trembled and his fingers curled into the shirt. His eyes were screwed shut.

Then a soft alarm rang by the desk, causing Harry to look up. "Oh," he murmured in realization as he pulled out his wand and flicked it to switch off the muted trill. The alarm was indicative of bedwetting. Scorpius wasn't scared. He was just embarrassed. "Hey, it's alright," Harry assured the boy who was trembling from holding back his tears. Harry waved his wand at the sleeping bag and the boy, drying both instantly. "See?"

Scorpius let out a muffled sob and scrambled up in an attempt to run. Run to where, Harry didn't know. He stopped the boy before he could take more than two steps and pulled him by the hand. Scorpius pushed Harry back fiercely, but Harry didn't let go. "It's okay, Scorpius," he said with a calm shake of his head. "It happens sometimes. You don't have to be embarrassed."

"L-let go," Scorpius said heavily.

Harry released the boy, expecting him to run away. But Scorpius stayed put with his hands clasped in front of him and his damp lashes fluttering in an effort to stop his tears from falling.

Harry's heart went out to the poor child who was trying so hard to be independent and grown-up. "Don't want to sleep anymore?" he asked. Scorpius shook his head. "Okay," Harry seceded. "Then you can go read a book until naptime is over."

Scorpius scurried away before Harry had even finished that sentence. He plopped own in front of the small bookshelf and grabbed the first book he could get his hands on. Then, while making sure Harry couldn't see him clearly, he opened the book blindly while wiping his cheeks dry.

Harry closed his eyes in defeat. He wasn't getting through to this boy…

* * *

A couple of months into school, Harry chanced upon Scorpius' art once again during drawing hour. The boy must have drawn at least twenty stars on the page and was in the process of coloring around the points with a dark blue crayon to make a sky. Harry arched an impressed brow. "Hey, buddy… Who taught you to draw that?" he asked.

"My nanna," Scorpius mumbled.

"It's wonderful."

He looked up at Harry, searching the teacher's face to make sure there were no signs of condescension. Once he was satisfied with Harry's genuine smile, he looked at his picture uncertainly. "Okay," he said with a polite nod, which only caused Harry to smile wider.

"Can you show me how you draw it?"

Scorpius appeared dubious. "You already know how to draw stars," he guessed correctly.

Harry knelt down next to the chair and patiently explained, "I want to see how _you_ draw it."

"Oh." Scorpius grabbed the pencil and set about drawing a painstaking star without another word. He drew one small triangle and then an upside-down triangle on top of it, trying to get all the corners pointing the right way. Then he showed it to Harry.

"Well, this is how _I_ draw my stars," Harry said as he grabbed a scrap paper off the table and drew a five-point star without lifting his pencil.

Scorpius' eyes went wide. "Wh-Wait, how-How did you do that?" he asked in disbelief.

"Ah, but that's a secret I hold close to my heart," Harry said dramatically.

Scorpius seemed torn. He flicked his eyes between his star and his teacher's star. He realized after comparing the two that his teacher drew a much more grown-up star than he did. "I… I want to draw _that_ one," he said, pointing at Harry's star. "Can I draw that one?"

"It's tough," Harry warned. "Think you're up for it?"

"Mhm. I want to draw _that_ one," Scorpius insisted.

"And why do you like stars so much?" Harry asked lightly.

"Because, because they're pretty," Scorpius announced. This was the first time Harry had heard the boy talk so much in one go. "And my mother's name is Astoria."

"Oh, so you're drawing these for your mother?"

"Yes. She likes stars too."

"That's awfully nice of you," Harry praised. "Then I suppose I will just have to share my secret with you, right?"

"It's not a secret. I know it's not a secret," Scorpius exposed with ease, narrowing his eyes at his teacher knowingly and eliciting a soft chuckle from the man. The boy sure was prudent like a Malfoy.

* * *

Harry watched from the entranceway as Scorpius walked along the length of the stairs one at a time with deliberate slowness. The boy would occasionally look up to scan the quiet street with his sharp eyes and, when he saw no one, would go back to watching his feet as he walked. Almost all the children had gone home by then, the few stragglers meeting up with parents by the front gate. Scorpius, however, had not yet been claimed. Harry wondered if he should call someone.

He pushed off the wall and strolled over to Scorpius as nonchalantly as possible. "Hey, buddy," he said quietly so as to not startle his student.

Scorpius paused and looked up at Harry, squinting when the sun got in his eyes. "Why do you call me that?" he asked. "Buddy?"

Harry shrugged. "I call everyone that, I guess," he murmured. "Don't want me to?"

"It's okay," Scorpius answered.

"Do you want me to call home?" Harry asked as he sat down on the steps. "See where they are?"

"It's okay," Scorpius repeated while shaking his head. "Nanna forgets to look at the clock sometimes."

"I see."

Scorpius nodded solemnly. "You don't have to wait with me."

"Why don't you want me to be nice to you?"

Scorpius stilled for a moment with his chin tucked against his chest and his shoe scraping against the rough cement steps. But then he kept walking his solitary path along the edge of the stairs. "Because… no one's _supposed_ to be nice to me," he mumbled.

Harry locked his elbows behind him and leaned back while examining the boy and going over that statement. "I'm not _supposed_ to?" he echoed.

Scorpius shook his head.

"Who told you that?"

"Nobody."

"Scorpius. Who told you that?"

Scorpius looked up at Harry. "Nobody," he maintained. "And I like playing on my own."

His expression was both honest and resigned, making Harry's heart drop. "I see." He glanced away while trying to think of a sensitive way to approach this topic. "Will I… get in trouble for being nice to you?" he asked slowly.

"Probably."

"Trouble from your family?"

Scorpius frowned in confusion. "My family?" he intonated in surprise. "No."

Harry nodded. Maybe this was something he had to chisel away at. "You know… You're practically _my_ family," he remarked.

Scorpius spun around to face Harry fully. "Huh?"

For the first time, Harry saw a genuine expression on Scorpius and he couldn't help laughing.

Scorpius opened his mouth to call Harry out on that statement, but he got distracted when he heard his name. He glanced back to find his nanny waving at him by the gate. He had half the mind to ignore her and continue with this _really_ strange conversation he was having with Harry Potter. But he was a Malfoy, after all. He narrowed his eyes at Harry calculatingly and then turned around to leave without another word.

"Bye, Scorpius," Harry called out.

Scorpius shunned him and kept stomping off. If he wanted to make sense of things, he would have to learn more about his teacher. His nanny would be the best person to ask. "You are _late_," he muttered.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry," she cooed as she reached down to hold his hand.

"Who's Harry Potter?"

"Harry Potter? You don't know?"

"I want to know."


	2. Chapter 2

Harry whipped his head up when he heard his name being called out. He found a small group gathered by the monkey bars, which could only mean one thing.

Sure enough, Gabrielle was consoling a _very_ pale Scorpius while tending to what appeared to be a twisted ankle. Harry attempted to shoo the other children away but all of them insisted on staying and watching this excitement. So he got down on his knees beside Scorpius and tried to ignore the staring eyes. "Hey, buddy," he murmured.

Scorpius bit his lip and sniffed. Harry could hear him gulp loudly. Gabrielle shrugged at her coworker, as though to say the sprain wasn't that bad. Harry ruffled Scorpius' hair to try to get him to look up. Scorpius ducked his head instead. Harry was getting a bit frustrated by the boy's lack of trust in his teachers. Gabrielle hooked a finger under her student's chin and moved his head up so he could see her smile. He blinked back his tears and used the back of his hand to wipe his nose. "Can you walk?" Harry asked.

"I don't know," Scorpius answered shakily.

"Let's try," Harry encouraged as he helped the boy up.

He was able to stand on one foot while keeping a tight hold on Harry's arm. "There we go," the teacher exclaimed. "Perfect." He waved a hand at Gabrielle so she would stay put with the other children.

"You're okay, Scorpius," some of the children said eagerly. "Maybe you'll get a cool cast!"

Scorpius didn't find that idea as appealing as everyone else and Harry noticed that by the way the boy's face twisted up. "Let's go," he rushed, but it was a moment too late. Scorpius sagged heavily and shook his head as a muffled sob escaped him. He was scared and shocked and everything hurt so badly. He just wanted to go home. He didn't even protest when he was picked up and cradled against Harry's arms. He hid his voice against his teacher's shirt, vaguely hearing kind words being spoken into his ear.

Before long, they were in the nurse's office and he couldn't have stopped crying even if he wanted to. It was even sadder to see because when Scorpius cried, he kept his voice inside, as though he didn't want to be heard. So he ended up shaking and trembling with each stifled breath.

"You should call his home," the nurse said with a helpless smile. "As far as I can tell, nothing is wrong with him other than a few bruises and the twisted ankle, okay?"

"Yeah," Harry mumbled as he moved towards the outside office where the receptionist helped him with Scorpius' contact.

He wasn't ready for the phone to be picked up after the second ring.

"Malfoy."

Harry stumbled over his words and managed to say, "Hello. I'm calling from Scorpius' school."

There was a short pause on the other end. "From school?"

"It's nothing to worry about," Harry rushed. "Your son took a bad spill in the playground and sprained an ankle. He's fine otherwise. He's-"

"Who is this?"

"It's... it's Harry Potter."

Another pause filled their conversation, at which point Harry was trying to figure out how best to say that Scorpius might need to go home. But before he could speak… "Potter?"

Harry all but huffed into the phone. "Yes," he said tersely. "You didn't know that I was his teacher?"

"No… I didn't."

Now Harry did huff into the phone. "Well," he continued to say, no longer bothering to keep a polite tone. "Will you be able to come by soon?"

"He sprained his ankle, did you say?"

"Yes."

"But you said it's not bad, right?"

Harry had half the mind to hang up. "That doesn't mean your son is fine," he said slowly and condescendingly. "Which is why I'm asking you to come take a look and decide on what to do. He can stand on his foot but I think it hurts him too much to walk. He might just be in shock. If he is distressed, the best thing-"

"Yes, yes." That was followed by muffled voices in the background. Then, "I'll be there in a bit."

Harry was tempted to ask how long 'a bit' was going to be, but he kept his comments to himself. He glanced at his watch after placing down the receiver. He still had about a few minutes before naptime. He hoped Gabrielle would be able to manage things until then. When he checked in on Scorpius again, the nurse was stowing her wand into her coat.

"Hey, buddy. How are you feeling?" Harry asked the boy who was lying down on the small cot with his foot elevated by pillows. The nurse left them alone in the room.

Scorpius responded with a sad sniffle. He had his eyes closed and he was clutching a small stuffed golden-brown bear fiercely.

"Gosh, if you hold your teddy that tight, won't you hurt him?"

Scorpius opened his eyes to reveal tears welled up in them. He looked down at the bear as though just noticing that he was all but strangling the poor doll. He relaxed his grip as best he could while still hugging it close.

"There we go," Harry murmured. He grabbed a chair and dragged it towards the bed so he could sit down next to the boy. The nurse seemed to have tended to the small scrapes on Scorpius' hands and elbows already. Everything looked as good as new except for his healed ankle that still seemed a bit swollen. "Are you aching anywhere else, Scorpius?"

"I don't know," Scorpius answered.

"Well, you are a very brave boy. You aren't fussing at all, are you? That's so grown up," Harry praised.

"I'm not brave. If I was brave, I wouldn't cry."

"Well, I cry all the time," he said with an affected sniff. "I guess that makes me a baby, right?"

Scorpius turned his head towards Harry and looked at him skeptically. "Do you hurt yourself all the time?" he asked.

"All the time," Harry sighed. "My friends always tell me I'm a clumsy guy. And if it hurts a lot, I cry."

"But my father said big boys don't cry," Scorpius argued.

"And are you a big boy already?"

"Yes."

Harry arched his brows.

Scorpius exhaled in defeat. "No," he grumbled. "I'm still a baby."

"I guess we can all be babies sometimes, right? I rather like being a baby," Harry told him.

"You _like_ to cry?" Scorpius asked incredulously.

"I like to be taken care of," Harry explained with a cheeky smile. "It's fun when everyone's being _extra_ nice to you, right?"

Scorpius didn't say anything to that.

"So… Want to tell me what happened?"

Scorpius brought his teddy up to face and hid behind it as he shook his head. He knew he would start crying again if he talked about it. He shouldn't have tried to climb up all the way to the top. He should have known that he would tumble off the play set. He didn't want to get hurt again. He didn't want to cry anymore. But thinking about crying made him want to cry some more.

Harry consoled him as tears spilled over once again. These tears were out of frustration though, Harry could tell. The sobs weren't as heart-wrenching and he was even quieter than the first time. Harry squeezed Scorpius' hand comfortingly at intervals, letting him know that crying was okay. He remembered crying like this when he was alone in the cupboard under the stairs. The walls were so thin that even the slightest sound would result in someone snapping at him to shut up. He didn't dare think about Scorpius' situation. It couldn't _possibly_ be the same as Harry's. So why was the boy crying like this?

The door opened to reveal the nurse. "Mr. Malfoy is here," she said.

Harry glanced at his watch as Scorpius stirred upon hearing the familiar name. A little less than fifteen minutes. Not bad.

He stood up when Draco walked into the small room.

And he jumped when he heard a loud shriek behind him followed by awfully sad and heaving gasps.

He whipped around to find Scorpius sitting up in bed and crying like there was no tomorrow. His cheeks were red, his brows knit together, his bear lay beside him, discarded and forgotten, and his fists were pressed against his eyes that were screwed shut. Torrents of tears flowed freely as well. Scorpius was definitely not trying to keep quiet anymore.

"For Merlin's sake," Harry heard Draco mutter under his breath. He looked back to find the man standing with one hand at his hip and the other massaging his forehead. From the looks of it, he had indeed come from work as he wore a dark suit that was still creased and polished black shoes that echoed authoritatively on the floor when he tapped his foot. "Potter. Some privacy would be much appreciated," said Malfoy. Then he pursed his lips to indicate that he didn't have the time or patience for any arguments.

Harry was, quite frankly, terrified to leave the crying child alone with Draco Malfoy. But he really had no grounds to stay. He all but stumbled out the door. However, instead of closing it behind him, he stood with a hand over the doorknob, leaving the door slightly open so he could barge in if something were to happen.

"Stop that, Scorpius," Draco muttered through gritted teeth. "It's absolutely undi-"

"NO!"

"You're giving me _no_ reason to n-"

Scorpius wailed even louder and brought his balled fists down to his lap. "I don't like you," he sobbed accusingly. "I'm hurt and you're being mean and you're supposed to be _extra_ nice and I don't like you."

Harry cringed.

"Good," Draco drawled as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "I don't particularly like you either."

Scorpius scrambled onto Draco's lap. "I hurt my leg," he sniffed. "I hurt my leg."

"I suppose it's no one's fault but your own," Draco chided as he wiped Scorpius' cheeks.

Scorpius didn't dignify that with a response. He simply burrowed into Draco's arms and closed his tired eyes. Draco examined the boy's foot with prodding fingers. He couldn't tell how bad the damage was but, from the looks of it, it wasn't that bad.

"So," he went on say as he made his son look up at him. "Didn't you think it wise to mention that your teacher is Harry _Potter_?"

"Huh?" Scorpius hiccupped while fiddling with his father's tie.

"Why didn't you tell me your teacher's name is Harry Potter?"

"Oh. I _did_ tell you."

"_No_," Draco said slowly. "You told me your teacher's name is _Harry_."

"Yeah. Harry."

"Potter."

"Potter."

"You are such a jerk," Draco muttered.

"I want ice-cream. _Two_ scoops."

"Anything else?"

"Chocolate syrup."

"You just want to get out of school, don't you?"

Harry blinked rapidly. What was going on in there?

Five minutes later, Draco walked out of the room with his son in his arms. Harry pushed off the wall he was leaning against, flicking carefully guarded eyes between Malfoy and his son.

"I'm taking him home," Draco said. He sounded formal again. Scorpius had his arms around his father's neck and his face was hidden against Draco's shoulder. "I need to get his knapsack and things."

"Of course," Harry murmured before leading the way out the nurse's office and towards the deserted hallways. The children were being put down for naptime. Harry heard quiet whispers behind him and realized that the Malfoys were talking to each other without letting him hear anything. He started wondering if stoicism was, in fact, a familial trait. From the looks of it, Scorpius behaved as any healthy child would in this situation, but only when his father was present. Otherwise, he seemed to tuck his emotions away and stay silent. It was so strange to see the transformation.

Harry grabbed Scorpius' bag and coat from the small cubbyhole near the door to the classroom. The blinds were shut and none of the lights were on. Gabrielle was walking up and down the rows of students, making sure all of them were asleep. She jerked her brows questioningly at Harry who gave her a thumbs-up in turn before walking out the door and handing Scorpius' things off to Draco.

Draco nodded once and walked away without waiting for a response from Harry.

Scorpius lifted his head up a bit to reveal his pale eyes over his father's shoulder. He stared at Harry for a moment.

Harry smiled at the boy and waved. Turns out he had been worried about Scorpius for no reason at all. Harry shook his head to himself once the Malfoys had rounded the corner and disappeared from view. Trust him to jump to awful conclusions based on prejudice. He tiptoed back into the classroom to fill Gabrielle in on all the details.

* * *

"You know my father?" Scorpius asked during recess. He was sat next to Harry on the grass with his sore leg stretched out in front of him and a picture book nestled on his lap.

Harry hid his surprise well when he heard the question. Scorpius had _never_ initiated a conversation before. "Yes, I know him from school," he answered.

Scorpius nodded into his book.

Harry looked down at him. "Is that all you wanted to ask me?"

Apparently so because there was no response to the prompt.

He pulled a few blades of grass from beside him, feigning an interest in them as he asked, "What did he say about me?"

Scorpius cast Harry a sideways glance that read, 'Are you serious?'

Harry laughed to himself. "Fair enough." He brought his knees up to his chest and rested his chin against them. "I never liked your father in school," he confessed.

"That's not nice."

"_He_ wasn't very nice."

"_That's_ not nice."

Harry turned his head and smiled at Scorpius. "You're nicer than him, though."

Scorpius stared at his book for another moment, then looked up at Harry.

"Don't tell him I said that," Harry added.

Scorpius smiled abruptly.

Harry was astonished to find dimples on the boy's cheeks. That must be from Astoria's side of the family. Scorpius quickly looked down at his book to try and hide his smile "I won't," he promised. "You're nicer than him too… But I still like him better."

Harry laughed again. He wondered if Draco had divulged things like that to his son as well. It was a strange thought to have.

That evening, Harry walked Scorpius down the stairs and towards the fence where Draco stood, glaring at everybody and looking just absolutely miserable. The man obviously hated all children except his own son. He even glared at Harry, but latter was used to it.

He pretended not to notice when Draco picked Scorpius up in his arms. Scorpius wound his arms around his father and laid his tired head down. "He didn't strain too much today," Harry reported dutifully.

"Mhm," Draco murmured. He nodded once at Harry and turned to leave.

Scorpius peeked over Draco's shoulder to look at Harry. Then he mumbled, "Bye, Mr. Potter."

Harry nearly laughed when he saw Draco freeze. "Bye, Scorpius," he reciprocated warmly instead of showing his amusement.

Scorpius hid his face against Draco's shoulder again.

"Are you feeling okay?" Draco asked incredulously as he rubbed his child's back.

"Don't be silly," Scorpius mumbled, rocking in his father's arms to prompt him to move. Draco started walking with uncertain strides. Scorpius turned his head so his nose was pressed against Draco's neck. "You have to be nicer," he added.

"What's so great about being nice?" Draco asked.

"I don't know… Something." It's just that he was starting to like Harry because he was being so nice to him. Then maybe being nice wasn't as bad as he had thought.

* * *

"You should have heard them!" Harry exclaimed theatrically, clapping his hands together and smiling wide. "Malfoy actually took care of the kid! He's a bona fide father, for crying out loud!"

"Nothing to be so excited about," Ron muttered.

"But you guys weren't there," Harry continued. He was interrupted by Rose who wanted to show him her scribbled drawing. "Oh!" he gushed. "Is it for me?"

As Rose clambered onto Harry's lap, Hermione sat down with her big cup of tea. "So Malfoy's human. That doesn't make him a model parent," she reasoned.

"That's the thing," Harry told her. "Scorpius was happy to see Malfoy. I mean, he put on this big show, but still…"

"What do you mean?"

Harry shrugged. "He seems really shy about showing his emotions. He was crying and all when he sprained his ankle, but he was being quiet about it. And just when he saw his father, he started crying up a storm and throwing this incredible tantrum. And _after_, he was happy as a peach once I was out of the room. He was asking for ice cream, even. I had _never_ heard him talk that way before." He hugged Rose instinctively. "It was actually very sweet."

"Only you, Harry…"

* * *

"Your father's been coming to pick you up lately, huh?" Harry noticed and mentioned to Scorpius. The boy nodded. "I guess he was pretty worried when you fell," Harry continued. Scorpius nodded again. Harry glanced around them to make sure they were somewhat isolated. All the children were working on their own worksheets, so Harry knelt down next to Scorpius. He wanted to speak to the child seriously now. "Scorpius?"

Scorpius looked up.

"I just wanted to say how well you are doing in class," Harry commended. "You are respectful of all the other boys and girls. You don't make a fuss about anything. And you're even speaking more. I just want you to know that you are doing well, alright?"

Scorpius blinked at Harry.

Harry smiled as he ruffled the boy's soft hair and got up. Scorpius watched his teacher move to the table next to him and kneel down next to little Lucy and speak with her in a low voice, no doubt saying nice things to her too. But he didn't mind that. It was just so strange to see someone who was so nice to _everyone_. He had never seen his teacher without a smile. It was both unnerving and oddly comforting. He looked down at his half-done worksheet. Whenever Harry encouraged him, he felt like performing so much better. He pressed his pencil to the paper and carefully traced his alphabets. He wanted Harry to keep saying nice things to him, even if he said those things to all the children.

* * *

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

Scorpius pushed his food around with his fork as he hesitated. "Is Harry Potter my family?" he asked.

Draco arched a brow in derision. "Pardon?"

"Because my cousin lives with Harry Potter, right?" Scorpius continued. "Nanna said that's why Harry Potter is my family."

"Patricia told you Potter is part of your family?" Draco repeated carefully.

"No. Harry Potter told me he was my family," Scorpius corrected.

"Oh…"

"So… Can you be nice to him?"

Draco groaned inwardly as he sat back in defeat. Some of the things his son said led him to believe that the boy was really so much more mature than he appeared. "I don't _want_ to be nice to him, Scorp."

"But he's so nice to me," Scorpius said gravely. "He always smiles at me."

"And that is who he is," Draco explained. "Some people are naturally that way. I know it makes you feel special, but just because he smiles at you doesn't mean he wants me to be nice to him."

"I know that," Scorpius grumbled. "He already said he doesn't like you."

Draco gaped as his eyes widened.

"He said he likes me better than you because I'm nicer than you," Scorpius continued with an affected sniff.

"He told you_ what_?"

Oh, Harry Potter had another thing coming his way tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry helped the last boy put on his backpack before standing upright and stretching his aching back. It was Friday evening and he couldn't wait for a restful weekend.

He grimaced when he turned around to find Draco Malfoy standing at the doorway with a furious frown on his face and a characteristic cold air around him. Scorpius stood beside his father, looking a bit sorry and resigned.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked as he gestured for the two to come in.

Draco closed the door behind them, leaving the three alone in the now empty classroom. "What have you been telling my son?" he asked brusquely.

Scorpius tugged at his father's trousers to get him to shut up.

Harry narrowed his eyes. Whenever he was around Malfoy, he was always put in a situation where he either had to fight or run, so, as a conditioned response, adrenaline was pumping through him. "I don't know what you are talking about," he said with as much calm as he could muster.

"What's this about him being your family?" Draco clarified.

Harry pulled back in surprise. "Well, he _is_ my family, isn't he?" he scoffed.

Scorpius blushed when he heard this.

"What are you playing at, Potter?"

"Nothing, Malfoy. I was making conversation."

"I don't want you filling my son's head with ideas, understand?"

"You are being _exceptionally_ rude today," Harry scorned. "I _talked_ to him. I didn't fill his head with lies. This is the truth, isn't it?"

"And what's he supposed to learn when you tell him he can't meet this fabled cousin of his?"

Harry's brows furrowed at the same moment Draco snapped his teeth shut. He realized that he was ranting about things that would no doubt go over Potter's head. He clicked his tongue and turned to leave with his son in tow. He would make damn sure that his son wouldn't get hurt because of something like this, even if it meant antagonizing Potter. Scorpius had had enough disappointment for a lifetime now. He didn't want people adding to it.

"It's okay," Scorpius murmured as he squeezed Draco's hand comfortingly. "I don't want to see my cousin."

Draco picked Scorpius up and disapparated from the school grounds, landing in their foyer. But he didn't let go of his son. Scorpius let his father hold him, carefully staying still and not saying a word. He knew what Draco meant when he was hugged like this.

Draco could never _fully_ express the love he had for his son. He had never learned to get the words out. But he would hug like this and Scorpius would understand. He loved his father so much too. He listened to their hearts, vaguely wondering how much older he would have to get before his heartbeat started sounding as loudly as his father's.

"Let's have some juice," Draco whispered as he finally moved towards the kitchen, keeping Scorpius in his arms.

Scorpius closed his eyes and went over the argument he had heard in the classroom. He didn't understand what was happening. He had _never_ said that he wanted to meet his cousin. His father had somehow jumped to that conclusion. And Harry hadn't been nice at all. In fact, he had been mean to Draco. That wasn't the Harry Scorpius knew. He didn't like that Harry. He didn't like it when people were mean to his father.

A lot of people were mean to Draco. That's why Scorpius wasn't allowed to go out with his father to the park or library. He had heard Draco and his nanny speak about it. He liked his nanny. She was always sweet to him, answering his questions and keeping him company when he was bored with his books. But he would rather spend time with his family. He wanted to go out and play on his broom with Draco, but some people didn't like to see that. Draco would always brush it off, saying things will change when Scorpius grew up.

"Don't do that," Draco murmured as he nudged Scorpius' chin. He sat the boy down on the kitchen counter.

Scorpius hadn't realized that he was pouting until then. He quickly pulled his lower lip back in and attempted to put on a pleasant expression for his father. "It's okay," he said with a small smile. "Sometimes it's okay to be a baby."

"Hmm?"

"Mr. Potter said so," Scorpius told him. "He said it's okay to cry and be a baby because then people will take care of you and be nice to you."

Draco rolled his eyes as he turned to his cupboard and searched for a snack. "People make fun of you if you act like a baby," he muttered.

"Mr. Potter _never_ made fun of me," Scorpius said earnestly. "He said he cries sometimes when he gets hurt. He said he likes having people take care of him."

"And if you don't have anyone to take care of you?"

Scorpius bit his lip while watching Draco plate some biscuits. Everyone had someone who would take care of them, right? That's how it worked. "I'll take care of you."

Draco stilled.

Scorpius was encouraged by this response. "I can take care of you if you want to be a baby sometimes," he urged excitedly. He had never had to take care of anybody before. "I can be _extra_ nice to you."

Draco shook his head in defeat as he smiled. "You're already _extra_ nice to me, Scorp," he murmured. He turned around and handed the plate to his son. "You're already taking care of me just by being with me, hmm?"

"Hmph," Scorpius sulked. "You always look so sad."

"That's just how my face is," Draco scowled.

Their light banter was interrupted by a loud and long knock on their door. In fact, the knocking didn't stop. It was steady and full of purpose. Draco and Scorpius glanced at each other in puzzlement. Who could that be? They moved as one towards the kitchen window and craned their neck to peer towards the front landing.

"On no!" Scorpius squeaked while Draco's jaw dropped. Harry Potter, in all his glory, was pounding down their door, looking thoroughly displeased and determined with his jaw clenched tight.

"Stay here," Draco mumbled.

"No," Scorpius countered simply as he jumped down to the ground and scurried to the front door. He opened it a crack before Draco could stop him.

Harry tried to look more presentable for Scorpius but his temper didn't allow him to look any less angry. Luckily, Draco was right behind. "Go to your room, Scorpius," he said with quiet authority. Scorpius seemed to have half a mind to argue, but then thought better of it. He slinked away but didn't go any further than out of the hallway and into the living room where he stood by the pillar and strained to hear.

Draco cast his usual cold glare Harry's way. "What do you want?" he asked.

"I _never_ said he wasn't allowed to see his cousin," Harry hissed. "What are you insinuating?"

"I am insinuating that if you do anything to hurt my child, I will kill you."

"I have nothing but the best interests of Scorpius in mind. I'm his teacher, for Merlin's sake!"

"_Just_ his teacher," Draco emphasized.

Harry's jaw clicked audibly.

"You are _just_ his teacher and I am his _father_," Draco continued. "I do not want you to speak to Scorpius about his or your personal lives. I do not want you to treat him any differently than you would treat another child. Am I clear, Potter?"

"This is how I treat everyone," Harry muttered under his breath.

"What?" Draco snapped.

"I said this is how I treat everyone," Harry repeated loudly as he clenched his fists. "This is how I teach, understand?"

"By intruding into their personal lives?" Draco exclaimed.

Harry grabbed Malfoy by the shirt and tugged him outside, slamming the door shut behind them. Draco was too startled to protest and Scorpius jumped in fright when he heard the loud crash of the door striking the jamb. Harry was practically seething now. "Now you listen to me, Malfoy," he growled. "I could care _less_ how truly awful life's been for you since then. I could care _less_ if you are suffering because of it. You have _no one_ to blame but yourself. But you have _no right_ bringing your child up to be the same as you. He never speaks to anyone. He never laughs with anyone. He never plays with anyone. Do you know how isolating that must be for him? All _I_ am trying to do is bring him out of his shell and all _you_ are doing is pushing him back in. _I don't care about your misery_. But don't you dare make him miserable with you. I want him to be what you aren't."

The silence that followed was stifling.

Draco didn't say a word as he opened the door, walked into his house and locked up behind him before letting out a slow exhale. Then he shuffled to the living room while massaging his aching temple. He was used to people speaking to him that way but some of the things Potter said struck way too close to home. He sank into the couch and closed his eyes.

Scorpius hopped up on the sofa and huddled near his father. "Did you have a fight?" he asked.

"Yes."

Scorpius nodded solemnly. "That's okay. Nanna said people fight sometimes but then they make up after a little while. You can wait for a little while before making up to Harry Potter."

"I'm never making up with him," Draco moped. "He's an awful man."

"He is?"

"Yes."

* * *

Harry sighed deeply for the umpteenth time while looking up at the ceiling from his slouched perch on the couch. It's what he had been doing for the past hour besides cringing and worrying his lip. Then he let out a pitiful groan and slid sideways so he ended up curled up on the couch cushions with his knees pulled towards his chest and his arms wrapped around them.

Rose patted his cheek sympathetically. "Ouchie?"

Harry pouted. "You know those times when you're so embarrassed that you just want to curl up and die? I'm having one of those moments," he told her.

"Huh?" That feeling was too abstract for a three year old to understand, in any case, never mind the words he had said. But she did understand that he was sad, so she plopped her ragged monkey doll down beside him. "Hug Minky," she ordered importantly. Harry did as he was told. Then she brushed his hair with her hand, as though attempting to make him sleep like Hermione did with her.

Harry pulled her hand away from his hair and pressed a soft kiss on it. "You are a _very_ sweet girl, Rosie," he murmured.

Ron came into the room in search of his daughter. He rolled his eyes when he found her with Harry. "Done feeling sorry for yourself yet?" he asked as he picked Rose up in his arms.

"In a bit," Harry sighed.

"Aw," Rose cooed. "Keep Minky, okay? She's a nice monkey."

"Thanks, love," Harry said with a sincere smile.

"Those brats have you going soft," Ron muttered under his breath.

* * *

Draco was on his third glass of the night when he heard the familiar and insistent knock on his door. He glanced at his watch as he groaned. Ten at night. What the hell did Potter want at ten o'clock in the evening? He supposed he should be glad that the man didn't pound on his door loud enough to wake Scorpius up. He contemplated letting it be, but two minutes of rhythmic knocking was not something he could ignore easily.

He jerked the door open and snapped, "What do you want?"

Harry fiddled with the strap of his messenger bag nervously, gulping when he saw that Malfoy was inebriated. "Sorry, I… Is this a bad time?" he faltered.

Draco huffed and stepped back to let Potter through. "I've had the _worst _day at work and do you know what time it is?" he asked.

Harry mumbled incoherently. It had been over a week since their last encounter and his guilt had been giving him sleepless nights and spaced out days. He would have apologized to Draco at school had the man come to school to pick his son up. Unfortunately, Draco had been diligently avoiding all coincidental and purposeful contact with the bane of his existence. "I know it's late, but I-"

"Now _you_ listen to me, Potter," Draco spat out while stomping to the living room where his scotch awaited him. Harry scurried after him like an obedient dog. Draco plopped down on the couch and took another gulp from the glass for some added encouragement. "You have _no_ right lecturing me about my son. Do you know what I've been through these past years? Do you know how hard it has been to raise him in an environment that provides just a _modicum_ of normalcy? Do you?"

"I don't," Harry seceded as he sat down. "I don't know and I'm sorry I said those things."

"He has had enough disappointments in his life and I don't want you to add to it," Draco continued. "_You_ have no right."

"I know," Harry insisted.

Draco sat back and nursed his drink some more while refusing to look up at Harry. He was still angry and he didn't care if he was sulking in front of this man. For once in his life, Harry was in the wrong and Draco was going to rub it in.

"He is a good kid," Harry murmured with a sad smile. "I sincerely believe so."

"That's what I said," Draco growled. "And I'm not making him miserable."

"No, you aren't," Harry assured him. "He is very happy when he's around you."

Draco glanced up.

Harry nodded eagerly. Maybe some encouragement was all this man needed. "He is pretty defensive about you too," he said. "He doesn't sit back if I say something about you."

"I told you not to talk to my son about me."

"What's wrong with asking about his life? If he wants to talk, then I won't stop him."

Draco sat up with his elbows on his knees and the glass pressed against his cheek. "What are you trying to do, Potter? Why are you doing this?" he asked quietly.

Harry chewed on his cheek. He could tell that all he was succeeding in doing was backing Malfoy up into a defensive corner. Now the last thing he wanted to do was antagonize him further. "This will take just a second, okay?" he hesitated.

"Yeah, whatever."

Harry dug into his bag and pulled out white and green pieces of construction paper. "I wanted to give these to you… Since you didn't show up to pick him up," he said, handing the artwork over.

"What is it?"

"Scorpius drew them for you. Well, one for you and one for his mother. He was too shy to show you, I guess." Harry shrugged. "Don't tell him I brought it by."

Draco stared at the green drawing for a bit. Then he turned it over on its side and stared some more. "What _is_ it?" he finally slurred.

"He says it's him and you, playing Quidditch."

Draco blinked.

Harry leaned over and pointed out the brooms and multicolored balls. "I think he realized too late that he shouldn't have started out on a green sheet," he said with a light chuckle. "And he drew stars for Astoria because he said she likes stars. He always cries during art class because he can never get anything right, according to him. I suppose he has all the makings of a perfectionist. Hmm?"

Draco couldn't see the picture anymore because his eyes were swimming.

Harry pulled back in shock when Draco quickly pinched the bridge of his nose. "Malfoy?"

"Hmm," Draco gulped as he attempted to blink away his tears.

"Why are you… doing that?" Harry asked, horrified by the sudden turn of events.

"I can do whatever I want. This is my bloody house," Draco sniffed.

"Look, you don't have to get emotional over th-"

"I have every right to be emotional when I'm drunk."

Harry twisted the hem of his shirt anxiously. This was certainly a side to Malfoy he had _never_ wanted to see – a doting father. He shuddered. Malfoy wasn't even supposed to be human. "Need me to stay?" Harry muttered sullenly, hoping to Merlin the answer was no.

"If you don't leave, you'll regret it more than me."

Harry scampered away, making sure to close the door with a firm thud to let Draco know that he had left the manor.


	4. Chapter 4

"Did you give my father my drawings?" Scorpius asked Harry one afternoon. His arms were folded against his chest and he looked incredibly disapproving.

Harry smiled sheepishly. "I might have," he murmured. "Sorry."

"He is being _very_ silly with it," Scorpius continued while sighing. "It's not even my _best_ drawing, Mr. Potter."

Harry grinned in astonishment. "What's he done with it?" he wanted to know.

"He's put it up in the kitchen!"

"Oh, such a tragedy…"

"I know!" Scorpius huffed. He narrowed his eyes at Harry to show how disappointed he was before walking away.

In the subsequent weeks following his encounter with an emotional Draco Malfoy, Harry saw the father pick up his son nearly every day from school. He couldn't help smiling every time he caught them together. Scorpius tried to hide his excitement, but he was always happy to see Draco at the end of a long day.

He was also beginning to take some initiative with the other children. He tried to join them when he was invited to do so. He ate lunch with them, albeit sitting quietly while watching them interact amongst each other. He even reluctantly shared his crayons with them. Harry was immensely glad. He never thought that Scorpius would try so hard.

Draco was happy to see his son come out of his shell too. The boy talked more at home, he showed Draco his schoolwork and taught him new games he had learnt. He asked more questions and was almost always unsatisfied with Draco's vague answers. He already began to cajole his way into staying up a half-hour past his bedtime by tricking Draco into reading him books.

"I know what you're trying to do, Scorpius," Draco remarked as he tucked his son into bed.

"I'm not trying to do anything," Scorpius answered.

"We have curfew for a reason, right? We need to wake up bright and early every morning, which means we need to sleep early as well."

"_You_ don't sleep until late."

"I'm a grown up."

Scorpius sulked. "I want to be a grown up too," he grumbled. "Then I can stay up with you and read books."

Draco stroked Scorpius' hair lightly for a moment before bending down and kissing his soft cheek. Scorpius looked up at him in amazement. Draco scowled at his son's slacked jaw. "I can kiss you goodnight if I want," he muttered. "It's what fathers should do."

Scorpius quickly closed his mouth and swallowed while nodding.

Draco just didn't know how to handle these kinds of things. "Did you mind?" he asked.

Scorpius shook his head. "It's just… Nanna usually kisses me goodnight," he murmured. "I got surprised."

"I didn't mean to surprise you."

Scorpius wriggled out from under the tightly tucked blankets and wound his arms around Draco. "Goodnight," he mumbled shyly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Draco echoed as he hugged his son tight.

* * *

Winter break meant no school for ten days. Harry sent the children on their way with little goodie bags filled with cookies and small presents, wishing them Happy Holidays. The kids were excited to have time off from school. Most of them, at least.

Scorpius was the last one, purposefully straggling so that no one else was around. Harry smiled at the boy as he handed him the red bag. "Have a great holiday, Scorpius," he said cheerily.

"Okay," Scorpius answered with an earnest nod. "You too, Mr. Potter."

Harry waited for a moment because Scorpius seemed as though he wanted to say something more. But the boy kept his eyes on his shoes, evidently second-guessing himself. "Something you wanted to tell me?" Harry prompted.

Scorpius started and quickly shook his head as he mumbled, "Merry Christmas." He attempted to scurry past his teacher.

Harry stopped him with a light laugh. "Come on! Tell me," he urged. "Is it a secret?"

"It's nothing."

Harry shook his head in defeat as he smiled. "Alright, it's nothing," he seceded. Scorpius seemed somewhat relieved. "So," Harry continued, "do you want to come visit Teddy this weekend?"

Scorpius finally looked up at Harry, taken aback by the invitation. "What?" he asked.

"You wanted to see your cousin, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't."

Harry chuckled again. "Alright, then. Will you still come say hi to him?" he asked. "He's _really_ nice, I swear. He's always wanted to meet you, hmm?"

"He… has?"

"Oh, yes."

Scorpius appeared torn. "I have to ask my father," he mumbled. "Is that okay?"

"Of course! In fact, shall I ask him?"

Scorpius made a disparaging sound with his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "He's angry with you," he complained. "I don't think you should ask him."

Harry pressed a hand to his heart and said, "I promise to be extra nice to him when I ask. I will even say please and thank you."

Draco was on guard when he saw his son, followed by Harry Potter. He really didn't want to speak to that man, not now while he was feeling less than optimal in the cold snow. Scorpius latched onto Draco's hand the moment he was close enough to reach it, squeezing him rapidly to telepathically let him know that Harry was about to say something absolutely ridiculous.

"Good evening," Harry greeted with a bright smile. "How are you today?"

"Fine," Draco muttered. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. Why was Potter so cheery?

"That's great," Harry responded. "Do you have any plans for the holidays, Mr. Malfoy?"

Mr. Malfoy? Since when… "Um… Why do you ask?" Draco murmured. He was thrown by Harry's lack of hostility.

"Well, Teddy is home for the holidays and he wanted to meet Scorpius. Would you like to bring him over this Saturday?"

Draco looked down at his son in disbelief. Scorpius had the same look on his face too. Perhaps Potter had hit his head sometime this morning. "You are acting stranger than usual," Draco commented. "Are you confused?"

Harry's smile was wiped clean in an instant. "I'm _trying_ to be nice to you," he huffed. "That's allowed."

Draco relaxed somewhat. "Oh, I see. You have quite an acting career ahead of you, Potter," he said while rolling his eyes.

"Alright, alright, I get it," Harry grumbled. "So? Can he come over?"

Draco glanced at his son again. Scorpius looked away quickly and stepped closer to his father's leg, pressing against it. Obviously the boy was in two minds.

"He'll be at my house, Malfoy," Harry spelt out. His tone was condescending once again. It was so hard to be anything but when he was around Draco. "I won't starve him or anything."

"I know that," Draco murmured absently. He knelt down next to his son. "Would you like to visit, Scorpius?" he asked.

Scorpius shook his head. He didn't want to go to a strange house with strange people. He'd rather sit at home with Nanna and Draco. "I'll stay with you," he whispered. "I don't want to go."

Harry chewed on the side of his cheek as he watched the quiet conversation. He could tell that Scorpius had immense reservations. At his age, Teddy would have run away to a friend's house in the middle of the night if he had been invited over. In fact, Teddy _had_ run away one time, scaring the living daylights out of Harry. But Scorpius was nothing like Teddy. "You can come along too, Malfoy," Harry sighed begrudgingly.

Both Scorpius and Draco ogled Harry in disbelief.

"I won't let you starve either."

"Okay."

Draco whipped his head at his son. "What?" he exclaimed. "Okay?"

"Yeah," Scorpius nodded. "You should come with me, Father. We'll meet my cousin together, hmm?"

"Well, that's settled then," Harry sealed the deal. "You can come by after breakfast, if you'd like. Saturday around ten?"

"Wait, I-"

"Teddy will be _very_ excited," Harry told Scorpius, ignoring Draco feeble excuses entirely. "He is in his first year at Hogwarts. That's pretty cool, huh?"

"Yeah," Scorpius smiled bashfully.

"I'll see you then, Scorpius."

"But I never-"

"Bye, Mr. Potter."

Draco was left on the wayside and all he could do was watch Harry walk back into the school. "What just happened?" he murmured in dismay.

* * *

Scorpius had barely finished knocking on the weathered wood when the door was thrown open.

"Hello!" Teddy crowed. He grabbed Scorpius by the arm and pulled him into the house. "Let's go upstairs." Before Scorpius could even look back pleadingly at his father, Teddy was dragging the boy up the steps, leaving Draco and Harry to their own devices.

"Come in," Harry said as he stepped aside.

Draco kept his eyes on the stairwell. "Is he-"

"He'll be alright," Harry assured him. "Ted's great with kids. He has a lot of young cousins."

Scorpius stood stock-still in the middle of what appeared to be Teddy's elaborate bedroom. There was a bed and desk and drawers and all. But there were also posters and food and books. Scorpius was overwhelmed, to say the least.

"Are you shy?" Teddy teased with a wink.

Scorpius twisted his fingers together and then nodded. The least he could do was be honest.

"Want some candy?" Teddy marched over to his cluttered table and picked up a mysterious black bag that fit in the palm of his hand. He held it out to Scorpius.

"What is it?" the little boy wanted to know. He was cautious when it came to eating strange food.

"It's a surprise," Teddy grinned. "My uncles have a shop in Diagon Alley and I bought it from them. It's pretty good. Not poison."

"I know it's not poison," Scorpius said under his breath as he took a piece of rough candy out of the bag. It was colored pale blue and felt warm to the touch. He popped it in his mouth and let his tongue get accustomed to the taste.

Then he cringed and shivered violently while squeezing his eyes shut.

"I know, right?" Teddy laughed. He ate one too, grimacing as the sourness hit the sides of his jaws painfully. "I love it."

Scorpius winced once again. "I don't think I like it that much," he confessed.

"Oh, just wait," Teddy assured him.

And, sure enough, the candy started to pop and fizz in his mouth. "Ah!" he exclaimed before clapping a hand to his lips.

"It's exploding, isn't it?" Teddy garbled. He pressed his hand to his mouth as well so his candy wouldn't fly out of it. "It's fun, hmm?" He held out the bag in his free hand. "You can have this one."

"Really?"

"Mhm. You can give it to your friends at school." Teddy chewed up the rest of the candy and swallowed it loudly. Then he marched over to his bookshelves. "Do you like comic books?"

"I… don't know," Scorpius mumbled as he quickly finished up his sweet and then stuffed the bag into his pocket. He hurried over to his cousin, standing right behind him. "What is it?"

"You don't know comic books?" Teddy exclaimed as he picked one out of his collection. "It's a Muggle picture book, so it doesn't move. But it's still so cool." He sat down on the floor, much to Scorpius' surprise. He was even more surprised when his hand was grabbed and he was dragged down. He plopped onto the ground beside Teddy. It wasn't long before they were huddled over the book.

Meanwhile, Harry and Draco were uncomfortably chatting in the living room. They had finished up with their pleasantries, leaving them with little else to talk about.

"So… You've never been curious about your cousin?" Harry asked.

Draco slid his thumb over the condensation on his glass of water. "I didn't really know about him until a little while ago," he said. "And I'm not one to be curious."

"Right." Harry supposed that since neither party had bothered to contact each other, it wasn't much of a surprise that Teddy's existence was unknown to his own family. "Teddy is a bit angry with you because of that."

Draco stared at Harry blankly.

"You know, for not knowing he existed," Harry explained.

"How is that my fault?"

"Well, he knew _you_ existed. He would have liked a return of such a courtesy."

Draco let out his exasperation with a heavy sigh. "How old is this kid?" he muttered.

"He's quite mature for an eleven year old," Harry boasted. He thought of Teddy as his own son. He had helped bring up the child since his birth. He had helped the boy when he stumbled over his feet. He had taught Teddy to read and write. In fact, Teddy was the reason Harry became a teacher. He was immensely proud of his godson. "He's pretty great."

"Yeah, yeah," Draco murmured with obvious disinterest. Then he reached for the magazine that lay discarded on the coffee table. Harry figured that was the end of their conversation. He went back to the kitchen where he was preparing lunch.

Compared to them, the children were having a much more civilized time together.

"You can borrow this, if you want," Teddy offered.

"I can't read this… I'm only five."

"That's why you learn." He pressed the book firmly on Scorpius' lap. "Besides, it's much more fun learning to read using comic books than regular books. At least this way you can look at some pictures, right?"

"Oh… Okay." Scorpius picked the book up off his lap and hugged it close. "Thank you."

"Gee, you're nothing like a five year old," Teddy chuckled. "My name's Teddy, by the way."

"I know."

"And is it alright if I call you Scorpius?"

"Mhm. Everyone calls me that."

"You know, Harry's told me a lot about you."

Scorpius appeared amazed. "Really?" he gushed. "What did he say?"

Teddy smiled slyly. "That's a secret," he hummed. "But he said _all_ nice things. That's why I was so glad that you agreed to come visit me. You know, I don't really have proper family except for my Grandmum."

Scorpius glanced away. "M-me neither. I mean, I have my mother and father. And… you, maybe?" he said.

"But that's okay," Teddy added while nudging Scorpius' arm. "Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"I have a _huge_ not-so-proper family." Teddy sprang up to his feet and pulled out an album from his bookshelf before sitting down, all of which took less than three seconds. Scorpius leaned in to gape at the photographs. "These are the Weasleys. Do you know of them?"

"Are they your not-so-proper family?"

"Yup! I'll show you everyone. There's got to be at least _fifty_ of them."

"That's a big number," Scorpius quipped.

"And now that you're my family, they're your family too, okay?" Teddy said in all seriousness. "You'll make a lot of friends because there are a lot kids your age. I'm the oldest. I'll be your big brother."

Scorpius blushed. He had never thought that he could have a big brother. He cast a sideways glance at Teddy.

Teddy caught him looking and he smirked knowingly. "You're _way_ too quiet, Scorpius," he remarked. "You should talk more."

What was he to talk about? He didn't know anything yet. He stared down at the colorful cover of the comic book in his hand, feeling glad that he had decided to come over. "If you talk, I'll listen," he said. "I'm good at it."

"Sheesh," Teddy giggled as he threw an arm around Scorpius. "You're pretty great. No wonder Harry likes you." He flipped the page of his album. "Let's look at some more of this, okay?"

"Mhm," Scorpius mumbled while smiling.

"_I_ think you'll like Dominique the best. She's not like you at all. She _loves_ to talk. You can listen to her all you want." He pointed out a pretty blonde girl in one of the Christmas pictures. "I think she's the same age as you too. Maybe a bit younger. If you want to come over to the Burrow tomorrow, you can see her."

"Burrow?"

"Because it's Christmas Eve, everyone comes to the Burrow," Teddy explained. "That's where Molly and Arthur live. It's always crowded in there, so it's a lot of fun."

Scorpius didn't fancy crowds. He simply nodded and feigned understanding. The photographs were packed with people too. This was definitely a different kind of family, something Scorpius wasn't used to. But they were still fun to look at. There was always something funny going on in those photos. Over the course of a few minutes, he ended up on Teddy's lap. He rested his head against his cousin's chest as they flipped through all the pictures one by one. He liked the way the older boy talked, with so much intonations and smiles. Scorpius had _never_ talked with anyone Teddy's age before. In fact, the only people he interacted with were children his own age and adults his father's age. Hanging out with Teddy made him feel so mature.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" Teddy asked as they neared the end of the album.

Scorpius paused. He hadn't thought too much about that. Besides, he had a long time to go before he was grown up, right?

"If you could be _anything_, what would you be?"

Scorpius bit his lip absently. "Anything?" he echoed.

"Anything."

He looked up at Teddy to make sure the boy was serious. "Then… if I could be _anything_, I… I'd be Harry Potter," he said.

Teddy's eyes grew wide, as did his grin. "What?" he crowed. "Me too!"

Now Scorpius' eyes grew large as well. "Really?"

"It would be so awesome being Harry!" Teddy said rapidly. "Can you imagine fighting all those bad guys and all the strange spells he had to learn and flying so fast on a dragon?"

Scorpius gasped. "He did all that?" he breathed.

"You don't know?" Teddy whispered. He tilted his head down, as though he was conspiring about something invaluable. "He was only seventeen when he did all that too. He wins every Quidditch game he plays. He won the Triwizard Tournament too. He knows _a lot of_ curses; some of them are _really bad_. He's the coolest godfather ever, Scorpius. You don't know half of it."

"Wow…"

"Yeah, he's awesome."

The two nearly jumped out of their skin when a loud shatter sounded from downstairs.

"Except when cooking," Teddy groaned. He pushed Scorpius off, scrambled up onto his feet and ran for the door.

"Oh!" Scorpius squeaked.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry was on the floor, dazed and covered in tomato sauce. Something had gone horribly wrong. There was spaghetti _everywhere_ – on the floor, the counter, the walls, and even the ceiling. Red splotches decorated the tiles as well.

Draco jerked to a halt by the doorway, taking a moment to survey the damage. Then he started laughing cruelly at Harry's expense. Merlin, it felt good to laugh like that. He couldn't remember the last time he had done it.

Teddy wasn't far behind. He shoved Draco aside and skidded towards Harry. "Are you okay?"

"I-I think so," Harry mumbled. He shifted his hand against the floor to sit up straighter, but let out a sharp yelp before he could readjust. Upon bringing his hand up, he realized that it wasn't just tomato sauce that was coloring the floor red. "Crap."

"Oh no," Teddy groaned as he grabbed Harry's wrist and looked at the cut on his palm. "Harry… You're so stupid."

"I'm not," Harry groused. His hand stung like no man's business. Obviously some salt and spice had gotten into the wound.

Scorpius stayed just outside the kitchen, quite close to tears. Draco noticed. He ruffled his son's hair to let him know that everything was alright before venturing into the mess. "Let me see," he said.

Teddy gritted his teeth and kept a tight hold on Harry. "He's fine," he muttered.

Draco arched a brow in derision. "Let me see," he said again with deliberate slowness as he knelt down and held out his hand.

"No."

"I'm fine. Really," Harry said weakly while attempting to tug his hand away from Teddy. This was just too embarrassing.

Draco pulled out his wand and murmured, "Don't scare Scorpius. Let go of Potter."

Teddy glanced back at his cousin. His stomach clenched in dismay when he found the boy in tears. He let go of Harry's hand reluctantly, realizing that this was not the time to be childish. Before Harry could pull his hand back, Draco had gotten a hold of it. Teddy hurried over to Scorpius as his scowl smoothed over into a sympathetic smile. "What are you crying for?" he chided gently. "Hmm?" He hugged Scorpius. "Harry does this _all_ the time. He's always wrecking the kitchen. In fact, I'd be surprised if he didn't blow things up at least twice a week."

Draco smirked as he heard those soft words. He finished mending Harry a minute later, watching the cut skin meld together easily so that not even a faint scar remained. "Are you about to cry too?" he taunted Harry. His tone was light, however.

Harry jerked his hand away with a frown. "I don't cry," he snapped.

"I've heard differently from Scorp."

Harry huffed indignantly. Trust him to make a fool of himself in front of Malfoy. "Sure, laugh it up," he muttered under his breath.

"Oh, I will," Draco promised him. He flicked his wand across the kitchen to clean up most of the stains. "Can't you do _anything_ right?"

"Like you can do better."

"I happen to know my limitations, which is why I don't set foot in my kitchen."

Harry held back the rest of his sharp words. He simply threw an angry glare at Draco before turning his attention to the two boys. "I'm fine," he said. Scorpius peeked from over Teddy's shoulder to look at his teacher. Harry held out his hand to show the boy. "See? It doesn't even hurt anymore."

Scorpius reached out hesitantly and ran his fingers down Harry's palm, just to make sure.

"Thank you for caring," Harry smiled. "That's very sweet of you, Scorpius."

The mess was cleaned up in ten minutes and Harry was thoroughly exhausted. He excused himself so he could wash off the tomatoes from his hair. Draco, Teddy and Scorpius were left alone then. They eventually migrated towards the living room where Scorpius climbed on Draco's lap and Teddy sat beside them. He was obviously _very_ upset with Draco by the way he was pouting at his shoes and keeping his head down. "How come you never visited me?" he asked.

"I didn't think you wanted me to."

Teddy swung his legs back and forth, striking the couch with the back of his calf in a constant rhythm. "Everyone at school says awful things about you," he said.

"I can imagine," Draco mumbled.

"Are they true?"

"Most likely."

Teddy stared at his swinging feet for a long while. Then he tipped sideways and bonked his head against Draco's arm, startling the man. "I always get mad when they say things like that about you," he confessed. "And I don't think you're like that at all. I mean… Scorpius is such a nice boy and you healed Harry and… I don't think the things they say are true, okay?"

Draco had gone stiff the moment Teddy leaned against him. He had no idea what to do or say. Was this one of those sentimental moments that he was rubbish at?

Scorpius came to the rescue, of course.

He patted Teddy's hair and said, "I think you're a nice boy too."

Teddy grinned at Scorpius. "I try," he winked before pulling away from Draco. "Hey! Do you guys want to see something cool?"

"Yeah," Scorpius said eagerly.

Teddy screwed up his face to concentrate. Right in front of their eyes, his features morphed so that his skin grew darker, his nose became longer, his lips got thinner and his hair turned from brown to messy black. The Malfoys gawked at the lightning scar that etched itself on Teddy's forehead. The boy opened his eyes to reveal his brilliant green eyes. "Cool, huh?"

"Wha-what?" Draco stammered.

Teddy jumped off the sofa and parked himself in front of them with his hands on his hips. "I'm Harry Potter," he announced while push his imaginary glasses up his nose. "I like to blow up my kitchen because cleaning up is _so_ much fun!"

"Hey!"

The three of them glanced back at the doorway where the real Harry Potter stood, looking eerily like Teddy's impression, complete with a sour expression and his hands at his hips.

Teddy laughed impishly and quickly changed back to himself.

"How did you do that?" Scorpius breathed.

"I'm a metamorphmagus," Teddy explained. "I can change into whoever I want to be."

"Gotten him into heaps of trouble already too," Harry said under his breath as he walked into the room smelling a bit less like tomatoes. "So… Want to go out to eat, then?"

After much coaxing, Draco sullenly followed his son, cousin and Potter through a busy and narrow cobblestone street. The magical shops were bursting with customers, no doubt hunting for last minute presents. He shoved his cold hands into his pockets and watched his feet as he walked on the slick sidewalk. He didn't much care to meet anyone's eye because, in case someone did happen to recognize him, it would lead to much uncomfortable glaring. It just wasn't worth the effort.

He tried to think of the last time he had gone out to grab a bite to eat. He couldn't remember. He had certainly _never_ taken Scorpius out with him. He looked up at the little boy who was holding onto Harry's hand tight and gawking at everything politely. Draco knew that when Scorpius grew older, he would start resenting Draco for not allowing him to experience the real world. But, for now, he would shelter the boy as much as possible. Clutching Harry Potter's hand was about as much protection as any boy could get. That didn't stop Draco from worrying insistently.

Harry walked them into his favorite diner and got a spot instantly, being the celebrity he was. They ended up in a booth by the window. Teddy and Scorpius sat near the glass while Harry and Draco took the aisle. The boys stared out in fascination, letting their breaths fog up the glass and them using their sleeves to wipe it off when they couldn't see outside any longer. Harry and Draco studiously kept their gazes on the menus. They were being courteous for the sake of the children, nothing more.

Scorpius let his father order for him without fussing. He was sure that he would like _anything_ from the restaurant because everything smelled so good. He was too busy taking in the sights. There were so many different people outside. Everyone looked so serious too, scurrying here and there with bags under his their arms and held tight by their fists.

"Let's draw something," Teddy prompted his cousin. He breathed against the window with purpose now to fog it up. Scorpius hurried to follow suit. "The best part is that you can't mess up," Teddy smiled as he used his finger to draw a stickman. "If you do, you just have to wipe it off and start again, right?"

"Mhm," Scorpius agreed.

Harry smoothed the paper napkin that sat on the table, attempting to break the uncomfortable silence between him and Draco. "So… What do you do now?" he asked hesitantly. He wasn't sure if Draco was in any sort of gumption to make more small talk.

Draco shrugged with a distracted air as he kept his eyes on his son. "I work for a private law firm," he answered while reaching out and moving Scorpius' glass of water away from the boy's elbow. "Careful," he murmured. Scorpius glanced back at his father, as though to say 'I _am_ being careful. Stop embarrassing me'.

When Draco returned his attention to Potter, he realized that the man was waiting patiently for him to continue talking. "Oh," he mumbled in confusion. It wasn't often that anyone wanted to hear him speak about work. "Um, we handle small settlements. Mostly marital disputes and inheritance issues." He trailed off. "Nothing interesting."

"Don't you find it interesting?" Harry wanted to know.

"Not particularly. It's just a lot of paper pushing and legalities."

"What would you rather be doing?"

Draco blinked at Harry. "I… I'm not sure," he said after a short pause. "There aren't many opportunities for someone like me."

Harry nodded in understanding. He was merely surprised because he couldn't quite see Malfoy working _for_ anyone. "I'd always thought that you'd be someone who'd own one of those empires, you know?" he confessed. "It's strange thinking of you as a working man."

"Are you deliberately attempting to provoke me, Potter?"

"Not deliberately."

"I see."

Scorpius seemed to sense Draco's discomfort by that off-handed tone of voice. He quickly finished up his drawing on the window and then scooted over to sit close. Draco moved his arm and wrapped it around Scorpius' shoulder as an absentminded gesture.

"Hey!" Teddy interrupted with a wide grin. "Tell us about your Quidditch games."

"My father is a Seeker," Scorpius said importantly.

"Harry is too," Teddy added, not wanting to be outdone. "He's never lost."

"Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration," Harry told Scorpius with a modest shake of his head.

Scorpius looked up at Draco and asked, "Did you ever lose?"

Draco was a bit embarrassed by his streak, obviously. He didn't want to tell his son the whole truth. "Well, I have lost a few games," he disclosed. "I've won a fair share too."

"Yeah," Scorpius smiled. "I knew it."

"I'm trying out for the Quidditch team," Teddy announced to the table. "I want to either be a Chaser or a Seeker."

"I'll be a Seeker like my father," Scorpius told his cousin. "Can we play together?"

"Yeah! Let's play with the Weasleys in the summer, okay?" Teddy exclaimed.

"Okay. Thank you."

Draco didn't voice his comments, but he tightened his hold on his boy. He really hoped Scorpius wouldn't carry that invitation in his head for too long. He knew that the Weasleys would be less than inclined to have a Malfoy in their home. They had been rather vocal about their stance on his family all those year ago when they were put on trial after the war had ended. Draco wasn't surprised by their fury. He doubted that their feelings had changed much even after nearly a decade.

"He can come over with me."

Draco looked up from Harry. He hadn't realized until then that he had a faint frown on his brow. He quickly smoothed it out. "Pardon?" he asked.

"This summer for that Quidditch game. He can come over to the Burrow with me," Harry explained. "All the kids play and he won't be the youngest either."

Draco searched Harry's face to try to discern what the man was actually trying to say. Harry nodded imperceptibly.

Before Draco to read into it, Scorpius quipped, "Can my father come too? He can play with us, right, Mr. Potter? He's really good."

Harry saved face by saying, "We'll see if he's free on that weekend, okay? It's a long way away, in any case. It's still wintertime."

Scorpius seemed satisfied by that vague answer. Draco stifled a sigh. There were so many things he still had to explain to his son. Scorpius had no idea _why_ no one liked his father. That was the reason for his irritability when he saw Draco being wronged. Perhaps, if he knew, he would be more understanding. Then again, if he knew, he would see Draco through a different shade of glasses.

There weren't many people who could recognize the Malfoys anymore. It had been so long since the war, after all. Draco's deep-seated insecurities were the cause for most of their hiding and intense privacy. However, his insecurities stemmed from a few incidents that occurred during the first two to three years after the war had ended.

Both of his parents were sentenced to Azkaban. Although the prison was a fraction of the hellhole it used to be, it was still a sentencing that any family would be ashamed to be a part of, Draco included. Most of his assets had been possessed by the Ministry, save the Manor and some savings. He was glad he wasn't left to wander the streets, at least. He couldn't find a job for ages because no one was willing to stay in the room with him for longer than ten minutes. He was ridiculed in the streets behind hushed voices and discrete hands. The partitioning wall between his house and the road was often vandalized with messages written in red. Prejudices ran high.

But all of that had faded away as the memories of war eroded in people's minds. Draco had managed to get his hands on his current job a little over five years ago, just before Teddy's birth. Perhaps his desperation to support the new baby had led him to put aside his reservations and try hard to maintain a stable income. The hate letters and graffiti had stopped years ago as well, most likely due to a lack of retaliation on Draco's part. Eventually his name was no longer taboo and, although it elicited a sort of chill from many folks, it did not invoke much hate or anger; just indifference.

The Weasleys were the exception. They had suffered horribly from the war and the Malfoys, in their eyes, were the traitors. Hermione had been tortured in the Malfoy Manor. Dobby had died at the hands of Bellatrix. Draco had nearly killed the Golden Trio in that fire in the Room of Requirements. Lucius had forfeited the wand that killed so many children. The wounds were still fresh in the minds of the Weasleys.

Draco would hate to go within ten feet of them. He would hate for his _son_ to be within ten feet of them too.

He spent the rest of lunch worrying about this and that. He couldn't even remember what he had eaten or any of the conversation topics going on around him. The more time he spent with Potter and his godson, the more anxious he was becoming. He kept telling himself that he was concerned for his son, but he was also concerned for himself. He wasn't used to such casual meetings.

What, exactly, did Potter want with them?

"I just want Teddy to meet his family," Harry said when he was asked the question. "Isn't that a good reason?" They were back in 12 Grimmauld Place. Scorpius had quietly insisted on skipping naptime and Draco had given in after seeing his son's pleading expression. So the boys were upstairs in Teddy's room again, leaving the adults to converse downstairs.

"We aren't family," Draco tried to argue. "We've never met. Just because we're related by blood doesn't make us family."

Harry's mouth twitched and he sat back in his chair as his brows furrowed. "Really?" he murmured.

"What?"

"I just thought… Well, you just… seemed like the person who would think the opposite."

Draco felt slighted. "What are you saying, Potter?" he snapped.

"I'm saying that I thought blood was all that mattered to you," Harry replied frankly.

There was complete silence after for a few minutes. Harry realized that he really needed to learn to put a foot in his mouth next time he wanted to argue with Malfoy. It always ended in these kinds of uncomfortable positions.

"Got that out of your system, then?" Draco asked as he flicked invisible lint from his trousers.

"Yes," Harry mumbled. "Sorry." He hated that Draco was being the mature one in all of their conversations. That wasn't supposed to happen.


	6. Chapter 6

"So what's this I hear about you joining Potter's gang?"

Draco made a face at his best friend. "Where do you get all this gossip from?" he muttered behind his cup of tea. He and Theo were sitting at a private table in a small café by the office, as they always did at least once every few months, catching up on things. He was one of the few people from Hogwarts that Draco would stand. Theo had helped Draco a lot when it came to rehabilitation in the adult world after all the court dates and such. He always talked about how Slytherins needed to stick together or some other nonsense. But Draco knew that Theo had a soft spot for him, hence the special treatment.

"Never mind that. Tell me," Theo urged with a cheeky smile.

"He's Scorp's teacher. That's _all_," Draco told him. "He's also taking care of my cousin, so he invited us to his place once."

"How have you managed to not kill each other? Gotten a bit more civilized, have you?"

"You could say that." Draco rolled his eyes. "He's not worth the fight. I hate his righteous views. You won't believe the things I have to put up with."

"What do you mean?"

"He criticized my parenting because Scorpius was quiet in class. I mean, what the hell is wrong with him" Draco huffed. "I just wish he'd get off of my case. It's like he's trying to get inside my head."

"He knows how to rile you up, Draco," Theo laughed. "That's all. He knows the right buttons to push. So, in reality, you're partially to blame for his behavior. You're probably instigating it. You always have. You two could never leave each other alone."

"Well, I _have_ been leaving him alone for the past ten years, right?" Draco argued.

"Yeah. You had no choice," Theo muttered to himself. "Anyway, what's this about your cousin?"

"My aunt's daughter's son lives with him," Draco said with a distant wave of his hand. "Whatever. He doesn't have parents. Guess Potter's sympathizing with that situation."

"Oh, grow the hell up, Malfoy," Theo said tiredly. "At least _try_ to talk like an adult."

"I am!"

"You're antagonizing Harry Potter! Hasn't that gotten you into enough trouble already?"

"What do you want me to do then? Join his bloody happy pity party? He's such a joke!"

"He's _teaching_ your son."

Draco gnashed his teeth together and didn't respond. Theo sighed in defeat. He knew that look all too well. Draco was being a stubborn ass and nothing anyone did would get him to loosen up. They finished up one cup in silence, which was just long enough for Draco to finish sulking. "How's work going for you?" he asked reluctantly as he poured another cup for Theo.

"Fine, fine," Theo said. "Might be looking at a promotion by the end of this quarter."

"Seriously?"

"Mhm."

"Wow. Congratulations," Draco remarked. "It's about time, right?"

"Oh, yeah," Theo scoffed. "I think five years is long enough." Then he made a show of glancing at his watch. "So… When are you going to pick Scorpius up?"

Draco blinked at him once before narrowing his eyes. "You aren't coming along," he objected. "No way."

"Come on, Draco!" Theo begged. "I _really_ want to see Potter with throw-up on his shoes and gum in his hair."

Draco kicked him under the table. "If you put it _that_ way, I'll have no choice but let you come along," he grumbled.

So, an hour later, the two of them waited by the gates and watched the front doors. It took a few minutes before they spotted the little guy amidst all the other students. Scorpius beamed in anticipation when he saw that his father wasn't alone. He loved Theo. Theo always brought lots of presents for him from his trips around the world. He also knew that Theo was Draco's _best_ friend. Theo _always_ made them laugh. He ran down the stairs with his backpack swinging dangerously from side-to-side. He couldn't wait to see what Theo had brought him this time.

He stopped short of the man. "Hi, Uncle Theo!" he greeted.

"Hey, squirt," Theo replied as he knelt on the ground.

Scorpius scowled. "Don't call me 'squirt'," he scolded.

"Well, stop calling me 'uncle', then."

"So silly," Scorpius huffed as he threw his arms around Theo and hugged him tight. Theo picked him up while laughing. He was always glad that Scorpius wasn't one of those kids who whined and sniveled all over their parents. This little boy was _very_ mature and someone Theo had no trouble spending a day with.

"Here," Draco said as he pulled the backpack away from Scorpius' back. "No need to act so thrilled. He's not even that exciting."

"He is," Scorpius retorted, coming to Theo's rescue in an instant. "He's exciting." He liked Theo because Draco liked Theo. That was reason enough. He also hadn't seen Theo in ages.

"Hey," Theo mock whispered. "I hear your teacher's Harry Potter."

"Yeah!" Scorpius nodded violently. Then he turned his head back and pointed at Harry who was standing by the door, regulating traffic. "There he is. That's my teacher."

"Well, well, well," Theo hummed as he nudged Draco suggestively. "Not so glamorous now, is he?"

And before anyone could stop him, he raised his hand and waved at Harry.

"What are you doing?" Draco hissed as he slapped Theo's hand down. "Are you crazy?"

"I just want to meet him," Theo frowned. "What's wrong with that?"

Meanwhile, Harry was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Theo Nott had just flagged him down. If he went, he'd have to socialize with him _and_ Draco. If he didn't go, he'd look like a complete prat. After weighing his options for a bit and then seeing Scorpius wave at him as well, he dragged himself away from the doors and trudged over to them.

Theo leaned towards Draco while snickering and whispered, "He looks like he's about to get his last meal." Draco smacked him away irritably.

"Hey," Harry mumbled as he flicked his suspicious eyes between the two men.

"Long time, Potter," Theo said with a gracious nod. "How are things?"

"Fine. You?"

"Good, good." Theo shifted Scorpius over to his other arm. "So I see you're wiping snot off of brats now."

Harry bristled while Scorpius pulled at Theo's hair. "That's not nice," the boy mumbled. "Be nice, Theo."

"No, it's just that I was expecting you to be an Auror or something else of similar caliber," Theo went on to say as he bonked heads with Scorpius to get him to let go.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint," Harry snubbed. "I happen to like this job."

"Good," Theo nodded. "And how's this squirt doing?"

"Hey," Scorpius grumbled quietly.

Harry glanced at Draco for a moment before saying, "He's doing very well. He's a pleasure to have around." He smiled when Scorpius looked at him shyly. "You are," he assured the boy.

"Well, he sure is a pain around the house," Theo declared.

"Father!" Scorpius whined.

"We should get going," Draco quickly intervened. He tugged at Theo's coat hard to get him to shut up.

"Yeah, right," Theo agreed without complaint. "Nice seeing you again, Potter."

"Bye, Mr. Potter," Scorpius said. "See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Scorpius," Harry echoed. Just as Draco turned to follow Theo out the gates, he was pulled back gently. "Could I speak with you for a second?" the teacher asked.

"Uh, sure," Draco stammered. "What?"

Harry shifted his weight uncomfortably as he slid his cold hands into his pockets. "Next Friday is the school pageant. Scorpius told you about that, right?" he asked.

"Yes, he did."

"I was wondering if… his mother would also be here."

Draco blinked rapidly. "What?"

"The children are making some crafts for parents," Harry rushed. "I was wondering if Scorpius could expect to see his mother there as-"

"Y-yes," Draco interrupted. "Of course. What… Are you seriously asking me this?"

"I'm sorry," Harry apologized. "It's just that, if she won't be able to make it, it's easier on Scorpius if you-"

"She'll be there," Draco snapped. "Learn some tact, for Merlin's sake." He stormed off without bothering to hear a stuttering response.

"What did he say?" Theo asked conspiringly as he hurried to catch up to Draco's long strides. "Something awful?"

"Mr. Potter's never awful," Scorpius corrected Theo. "He is always very nice to everyone. He is always smiling."

"He wasn't smiling just now, was he?" Theo noted. Scorpius frowned up at him.

Draco didn't speak until they had disapparated from the streets and landed in the grounds of the Malfoy Manor. "He asked me if Stori was going to be at that school thing on Friday. Just like that!" he exploded. "He acted like she was some kind of-" He broke off with a frustrated snarl as he stomped up the stairs and threw open the door dramatically.

A very amused Theo followed him in. "Like she was some kind of what?" he urged. Scorpius was startled, so he didn't say a word.

"The point is he thinks Scorpius is some damaged child from a broken home," Draco snapped.

"Well… He kind of is, isn't he?" Theo shrugged.

"My home's not broken," Scorpius chimed in. "It's nice. I'll tell Mr. Potter tomorrow."

"No!" Draco exclaimed, spinning around to meet Scorpius' eye. "Do _not_ tell him _every little thing_ you hear in this house, understand?"

"Why not?" Scorpius asked genuinely. "It's okay, Father. He likes to know if things are broken. Yesterday, Annie broke the-"

"Argh!" Draco pulled at his hair as he turned back around and kept stomping to the living room where he finally flopped onto the couch. Theo was now laughing as he sauntered in. Scorpius seemed _very_ confused. Draco was holding in his sharp words only because his son was present. "You know, _this_ is what I hate about Potter. He wants to make everything just so _perfect_," he ranted. "So what if we're separated? It's not like it's the first time a marriage hasn't worked out! Potter's acting like it's some kind of taboo subject. Like Scorpius needs special treatment because his mother doesn't live with him! I'm so sick of his elitist thinking, Theo! All he ever does is antagonize me." He took a moment to breathe.

Theo sat down next to him and held Scorpius close. "What did he say, exactly?" he asked carefully.

"It doesn't matter _what_ he said! It matters _how_ he said it!"

Scorpius raised his hand.

"What?" Draco groaned.

"Mr. Potter doesn't treat me special." He shook his head to emphasize his point. "He's nice to _everyone_. Really, Theo. And maybe he didn't know _how_ to say it because he doesn't _have_ a mother. Right?"

That shut Draco up really fast. Theo was roaring with laughter, though. "Oh my _Merlin_, Scorp! _What_ did you just _say_?" he guffawed.

Now Scorpius looked unsure. "I… um… My friends at school said that… Mr. Potter doesn't have a mother or father," he hesitated.

"My precious boy's grown into a perfect Malfoy," Theo whooped. He tilted Scorpius' chin up and said, "Did you know your father also said those words to me when we were young boys? Well, not in _your_ politically correct terms, of course. But you got the gist of it. You're going a long way, you little twerp."

"Wait… _Does_ he have a mother and father?" All this laughing and scowling confounded Scorpius. He wasn't sure if his sources were correct after all. Maybe Mr. Potter _did_ have a mother and father.

Draco slumped into the sofa and hid his face behind his hands. "I am _such_ a bad parent," he lamented.

"He hasn't said anything incriminating… Yet," Theo teased. He hugged Scorpius reassuringly. "You're right, Scorp. Mr. Potter doesn't have a mother or father anymore. But he used to, when he was a little baby."

"But they died, right?" Scorpius finished.

"Oh, I need a drink," Draco moaned as he scrambled up off the sofa and sped out the room before he heard anything more from his innocent son.

"Theo, you tell me," Scorpius sighed. "My father's being silly."

"What would you like to know?" Theo grinned. "About Mr. Potter?"

"Mhm. I want to know why Dad doesn't like him."

"Well, there are so many reasons. Where to begin?" Theo tapped his chin theatrically. "They were both _very_ mean to each other when they were in Hogwarts together. And they were both in opposite houses, so they fought over _everything._"

"But now they are all grown up," Scorpius reasoned. "And they need to be nice. That's how it works. When you grow up, you can't be mean anymore."

"That's right," Theo agreed wholeheartedly. "But the thing with Harry and your dad is that they never seem to grow up when they see each other. They act like small boys instead. That explains it, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Scorpius realized. His eyes went wide too. "That's it, Theo! They used to fight when they were little boys! I need my father to grow up now."

"You also need Harry to grow up."

"I'll tell him."

"What will you tell him?" Theo asked. He could barely hide his gleeful smirk.

"I'll tell him to grow up," Scorpius recited.

"No!" Draco objected loudly as he raced back into the room with a glass of his much needed alcoholic beverage. "No, no, no! No, you won't!"

"Hey, where's mine?" Theo groused while holding up his hand.

"Stop teaching these things to my son!" Draco insisted. "I'm going to get into so much trouble because of you!"

"Dad, you need to grow up," Scorpius advised. "You are _my_ father now. No more fighting with Mr. Potter. He doesn't have a mother or father, so he doesn't know what to say. That's all. He knows how to talk to _me_. If you're nice to him, he'll know how to talk to _you_ too."

"I love you guys," Theo snickered.

* * *

"… and that is why you need to grow up, Mr. Potter."

Harry sat cross-legged on the ground in a daze. He had just been lectured by a five-year-old boy. "I… see…" he faltered.

"Don't feel bad," Scorpius said. He even stroked Harry's cheek. "My father felt bad yesterday. I don't want you to feel bad too. My house isn't broken. It's _very_ unbroken."

"Broken?" Harry groaned. "Scorpius… Where did you hear that?"

"My father said you said it."

"Do you know what that means?"

"I think so…"

Harry sighed and patted the ground in front of him as a gesture for Scorpius to sit down as well. The boy complied. "I know your house isn't broken," Harry started off by saying. "I've been there, remember?"

"Mhm."

"Sometimes… a broken home means that… a mum and dad don't live in the same house," Harry tried to explain. "Like your mum and dad."

Scorpius didn't like that explanation at all. "I'm not broken," he argued. "I'm fine, Mr. Potter."

"I know," Harry hurried to say. "I know. It's just an expression. Do you know what those are? Like… if I said it's raining cats and dogs, it's not _actually_ raining cats and dogs, right? It's just raining a lot. So, when someone is from a broken home, it doesn't _actually_ mean they're broken." He was really botching this up. "Oh man," he mumbled under his breath. "Um… It's like-"

"Are _you_ from a broken home, Mr. Potter?"

Harry paused. "I… um…"

"Because you… your parents aren't in your house, right? They don't live with you because they… they died, right?" Scorpius tilted his head inquisitively.

"Oh, wow," Harry breathed. "I… I guess?" He patted down his hair, which was a nervous habit when he was put into situations like this. "Is that okay?"

"I don't know," Scorpius whispered in secret. "Is it okay?"

"_I_ think it's okay," Harry answered.

"Okay. I think it's okay too, then," Scorpius agreed. "We are both broken and it's okay."

"And I'm sorry, Scorpius."

"For what?"

"For being rude to your dad. I know I hurt his feelings. I didn't mean to."

"I know," Scorpius said with a grave nod. Then he got up and stepped in to give Harry an awkward sideways hug. "I told him to grow up too so he won't hurt your feelings again. I'm going to go play now. Do you want to come?"

"I-I think I'll sit here for a bit, actually."

"Okay."

* * *

The next time Harry and Draco met at the school turned out to be embarrassing as ever. Scorpius stood between them, looking at them in turn to see who would talk first. Neither man really acknowledged each other and they had been standing there for nearly a minute before Draco broke. "Scorpius, go away," he mumbled.

"Where?" Scorpius asked eagerly. "Playground?" He dashed off to the snowy grounds before his father could respond.

"Swings only," Draco called after him. Scorpius raised a mitten but didn't bother looking back.

"I'm sorry," Harry said first. "I-I didn't mean to… I mean I didn't know how to-"

"It's fine," Draco broke in. "I might have overreacted. I know you didn't mean anything by-"

"I would never mean anything like that. I didn't want Scorpius to-"

"I know you're just doing what's best for him."

"Yeah."

They shuffled on the spot anxiously. It was strange to finally settle a score like this. Neither of them was trying to one up each other or get even with a slight. Everything was forgiven. All it took was Scorpius' stern words.

"He… um," Harry swallowed to wet his throat. "He asked me about b-broken homes. I tried to expl-"

"He told me," Draco mumbled. "He said you were from a broken home too and you were fine with it so-"

"I didn't know what else to say to him."

"It's fine." Draco looked up at Harry. "He knows the situation between his mother and me. It's not what it looks like. I just want you to know that. We're still best friends, okay?"

Harry blushed. "Yeah. Sure," he floundered. "Um… That's good."

"I'm telling you this because I don't want you to treat him like you would treat a child from a bad marriage. He isn't like that. He's different," Draco tried to explain. "His situation is very different."

Harry suddenly stuck his hand out between them.

Draco stared at it for a moment while trying to figure out what Potter was trying to do. "Uh…"

"We'll just start over," Harry said. "I want to start over because I just hate that you're more mature than me."

Draco arched his brows and then started laughing. "Seriously, Potter?"

"Yes. Please?" Harry practically begged. "This is mortifying."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever," Draco chuckled as he shook Harry's hand. "Starting over now."

"Okay. Cool. Thanks." Harry hadn't looked up at him properly even once. "I-I should go back in."

"See you Friday, then…"

"Mhm." Harry turned on his heel and scurried away as fast as he could on the slippery cement. Draco didn't stop smirking even after the door closed behind Potter. He waved his hand at his son who was swinging happily on the play set. Things were going to be much more interesting now. He just knew it.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**: Goodness, thanks for all the awesome reviews, you guys! I'll reply to the ones I am able to. To the anonymous reviewers, hugs all around :)

* * *

"Is this okay?" Scorpius asked worriedly as he brushed his shirt smooth and made sure it was all tucked into his pants. He kept patting his damp hair and picking lint off his trousers as he waited by the front door. Draco couldn't help rolling his eyes. "Father, stop that," little Malfoy snapped.

Astoria was coming into town!

He had to look his best for his mother. He had already laid out _all_ his schoolwork on the dining table in the right order. His father didn't help one bit. They just scowled at each other all day. Scorpius knew that Draco didn't like all the fuss. But his mother was coming to visit him, so he wanted to fuss as much as he could. He made sure his room was tidy and that his playthings were put away in the right shelves. He had his books ready to show his mother how well he could read now. He even cleaned the living room, fluffing up pillows and making sure everything was straight.

He jumped a foot in the air when he heard footsteps by the door. He zoomed over and pulled it open with a flourish.

"Oh dear," Astoria started in surprise.

"Mother," Scorpius smiled shyly. "Hello."

"Oh dear," she cooed as she bent down to pick up her son. "Look at you! You're so grown up!"

Scorpius hugged her tight. "I'm glad you came," he whispered. "We'll have fun."

"We will," she whispered back as she struggled to get her bag and her son through the door.

Draco didn't lift a finger to help.

"Oof," she grunted as she dropped her luggage on the floor dramatically, all the while keeping her eyes on her ex-husband from over her child's shoulder. He didn't move away from the banister he was leaning against. She scowled at him and pushed her bag forward with her foot. He arched a brow in contempt.

She kicked the bag at him, hitting him in the shins. "Ow!" he snipped. "What've you got in there? Bricks?"

"Yes," she said just to spite him. Then it was her turn to ignore him. She turned her attention to Scorpius. "I wish you'd write to me more often," she murmured. She kissed his cheek lovingly. "I really do enjoy reading your letters."

"I can't write yet, Mother," Scorpius reasoned patiently. "And Father doesn't have time to write them for me. You know that." He laid his head against her shoulder, atop her flowing golden curls. "You smell nice. Like flowers."

"Why, thank you," she laughed as she made her way to the living room. Draco pulled a face behind her back before flicking his wand at her bag and sending it off to her room.

The two of them had met through mutual friends a few years after the war. After just five months of dating, they had gotten engaged and married. They were love struck and young. They were happy, even. But only for three years. Only until Scorpius' unannounced arrival.

Astoria was not ready for a child. She had _never_ imagined herself with one. So she had been shocked when Draco fiercely urged her to keep the baby. Their marital problems started to surface after that. Astoria started hating Draco for making her feel guilty of her feelings. Draco started hating Astoria because of her seemingly callous attitude towards his child. And, just before Scorpius was born, they separated with rough water under the bridge.

On the day of Astoria went into labor, she didn't bother calling Draco up. She couldn't stand looking at him, not for another second. She knew that she had deluded herself in thinking that their volatile natures could somehow meld perfectly into a happy marriage. She hated him for what he was making her go through. She didn't even want to tell him his child was about to come into the world.

But, four hours into her contractions, she was sobbing for him. Screaming for him.

The relief she felt when she saw his face that night was enormous, something she didn't dare share with anyone. She clutched his hand tight and let him brush her sweaty strands of hair away from her face. She was so glad for him at that moment.

And when he gently laid the precious baby boy against her chest, she was filled with so much love. She didn't stop herself from pressing kisses on Scorpius' small cheeks and lips. And when she looked up at Draco and saw him mouth, 'thank you', she believed him. Wholeheartedly…

Now there they were, five years later, in the manor surrounded by books and drawings. Scorpius had fallen asleep in Astoria's arms, as he often did when they were together. He held _very_ still when he slept. He was the sweetest boy any mother could ask for. She watched him sleep for a long while, cradled against her safe and sound. The boy tried so hard, bless his little heart. Astoria kissed his hair for the hundredth time that night. Then she looked up at Draco properly.

He was sitting beside her on the sofa, turned in such a way that he was leaning his arm along the length of the back of the couch and his head rested on it, watching mother and son quietly. His drowsy expression turned into an unpleasant frown when he realized that she was looking at him.

"Hey, now," Astoria tsked. "I missed you, Draco. Truly."

"You missed the drama," he corrected her.

"Of course."

"You could have at least _hinted_ that Potter was going to be his teacher, Stori," he complained. "You don't know what I've been going through this past four months! I swear to Merlin, I was so close to ripping his head off."

"I'm glad to see you two getting along, then," Astoria laughed.

Draco sniffed disdainfully. "We _are_ getting along now, no thanks to you," he snubbed. "It is only fair to Scorp that we maintain a professional relationship."

"More like you two got sick of fighting, huh?"

"Whatever."

She winked at him cheekily. "I just wanted you to have some more excitement in your life, darling," she revealed with a pragmatic wave of her hand. "All you do is sleep and work. Harry Potter is just the right kind of drama – nothing too sensational but just enough scuffles. Theo's told me all about it."

"I knew it."

She squeezed Scorpius tight. "He's a champ, isn't he?" she murmured. "He's changed so much."

Draco nodded as he smiled. "School's changing him, I suppose. He talks more. The things he says is… terrifying, really," he told her. "He's so smart." He reached out to stroke his son's cheek. "Everyone who has met him is so impressed by him. Potter has nothing but praise."

"Then again…"

"Yeah. This is Potter we're talking about."

"Still, his commendation would mean a world of difference to Scorpius."

"I know," he said.

"You know?"

He blinked at her blankly.

She gave him a big nod.

"Oh," Draco groaned and turned his head to hide his face against his arm. "I see," he mumbled.

"You always fail to see the big picture, Draco. Good thing you have me around," she said none too modestly. "Having Harry Potter on our side is _incredibly_ important for Scorpius' future. Why do you think I fought so hard to get him into that school? I'm glad you two have made amends. It's all for your baby, right?"

"Yes, yes," Draco conceded. "You are all knowing and I'm just your lowly servant, here to serve her highness."

"Indeed… Idiot." She shifted Scorpius in her arms and got up. "He's tagging along with me."

Scorpius whined quietly and fluttered his heavy eyes open. "Daddy," he whimpered.

"Daddy?" Astoria echoed as she turned around deliberately to raise a derisive brow at Draco.

"Ah, the tables have turned," Draco smirked. He slid off the couch and leaned in to press a soft kiss against Scorpius' cheek. "Goodnight," he whispered.

With a quiet sigh, Scorpius closed his eyes and went to sleep again, hugging his mother tight.

"Now, now, Draco," Astoria tsked. "If you go around acting all sweet like that, everyone's going to start swooning."

"Shut up," Draco chuckled. "Goodnight to you too. I hope he kicks hard."

She frowned at him in reproach before stalking away.

* * *

Harry noticed Scorpius' good mood just as the boy walked into class. "My, don't you look excited," he commented as he helped put the backpack on the hook.

Scorpius immediately tried to look sullen, which was comical to see because his big smile dropped in an instant and his shoulders sagged theatrically.

"No need to pretend," Harry laughed. "It's fine to be excited."

"I'm not excited," Scorpius lied. He grabbed his books that his teacher held out for him and then hurried to his seat so he could get excited in private.

The class worked on their alphabets for the first part of class, which was a chore in itself. Then it was time to get ready for their performance. There was organized chaos in nearly every corner of the room. Gabrielle helped some of them with their costumes while others practiced their singing loud and proud. There was loads of shouting and giggling going on. Harry had a few of the quieter children help him set up the classroom. Scorpius diligently pasted drawings on the wall by the blackboard. He hoped his mother would love his drawings. He had worked quite hard. She had liked everything he had shown her so far. He couldn't wait for her to hear him sing. Mr. Potter said he had a nice singing voice, but he just needed to be louder. He had been practicing in his bathroom where his voice sounded _really_ loud, so he hoped Astoria would be able to hear him over his friends.

At three, parents started to wander into the classroom while the children attempted to be on their best behavior. Harry and Gabrielle ushered the adults to the chairs in the middle of the room. The children were sitting on the floor at the front in three neat rows as instructed by their teachers. Many of them were waving wildly at their family. For most of the kids, this was their first performance.

"Is your heart running too?" Timothy asked Scorpius in a hurried whisper.

"So fast," Scorpius whispered back. "Feel it." He pressed Tim's hand against his chest. "See?"

"Scary," Timothy mumbled.

"It's not scary!" Annie exclaimed with her usual bright grin. "It's because you're _so_ happy. Mine's doing it too! I'm not scared, though."

Scorpius spotted his parents at that moment. He stifled his excited gasp just barely and a bright flush crept up his cheeks. He smiled shakily when Astoria waved at him. He was _really_ scared now. His mind was racing with worst-case scenarios. What if he forgot all the words? What if he started coughing? What if he sang so badly that everyone else stopped singing? He wiped his clammy hands on his pants. This wasn't fun at all. Why did he have to remember four songs? This just wasn't fair! What if he turned stupid all of a sudden?

He turned his worried eyes to Harry who was kneeling in front of his students. "Everybody ready?" he asked.

"Yeah!" a chorus answered. Scorpius couldn't even open his mouth, that's how dry his throat had gotten.

"Just sing like we practiced yesterday," he told them. "I'll be standing there, okay?" He pointed to the back of the room. "Watch Gabrielle or me if you get nervous or don't know the next words. We know _all_ the songs, so we'll help you get unstuck. Remember to smile! Have fun. They're going to be so proud of you."

Scorpius gulped hard when everyone started standing up. He struggled to his feet and pressed his hands to his sides. His eyes flicked from Gabrielle to his parents frantically. This was such a bad idea.

Gabrielle waved her wand to start the soft piano music. Then she counted them in.

Scorpius couldn't get his voice out even though he was trying hard. He curled his hands into fists, scrunching up the sides of his trousers as he did so. His lips moved, but he couldn't sing. His throat was closing up and he couldn't stop trembling. It wasn't long before he felt his eyes pricking. In a moment of panic, he jerked his eyes away from Gabrielle and looked to the back of the room.

Harry was mouthing the words along with the class. When he saw Scorpius staring at him in misery, he smiled wide and indicated for the boy to stand up taller. Scorpius squared his shoulders and blinked hard to get rid of his tears. Then Harry breathed deeply. Scorpius imitated him. He felt his breath shaking in and out of him, but it steadied his hands. When Harry started mouthing the words again, Scorpius got his squeaky voice to cooperate. Although hoarse and barely noticeable, he started singing sadly. He was doing such a poor job. He wanted to cry but he was too scared to do that even.

He was startled when he felt hands on either side of him. It was time for the children to hold hands. It was part of the song and they had practiced this part so often. But Scorpius couldn't get his hands to move. Annie and Tim had to wrestle his fists away from his sides. He held onto their hands tightly once they had managed to grab on. Annie squeezed his clammy hand to reassure him. It helped. His voice picked up a bit. He focused on Harry again who was nodding in time with the song with a proud grin on his face. Although his teacher wasn't looking at him, he still felt some of that excitement seeping in.

By the time the third song started, Scorpius was singing properly. His voice couldn't be heard above all the other children's, but he was singing. Sometimes he forgot the words but quickly caught up by watching Gabrielle's cues. He somehow managed to get through the whole routine and he didn't even notice that they had finished until the parents started clapping.

He practically stumbled all the way to his parents as the children dispersed after Gabrielle's short 'thank you' talk. He just wanted to sit in Astoria's lap and cry, but he couldn't do that until he had gone home.

"You were so good," Astoria gushed as she picked her son up and hugged him tight. "I'm so proud of you, honey."

"Mhm," Scorpius mumbled. He knew his mother was lying and he knew she meant well.

"When we get home," she added, "you need to sing it for me, okay? Just by yourself."

"Mhm."

Draco could tell that Scorpius was feeling miserable. He had recognized the look on the young boy's face while singing and had nearly cringed. He rubbed his son's back encouragingly. "You looked very grown up, Scorpius. You did very well. And this was just your first performance, right? It was great," he murmured. Scorpius nodded once and then hid his face against his mother's shoulder.

"Now will you show me your paintings?" Astoria urged. She kissed Scorpius' hair and made him look up at her. "Hmm?"

"Okay," Scorpius said hoarsely. He gestured at the wall of drawings where some of the parents and children were already gathered around.

The Malfoys spent the next few minutes examining crafts and drawings. Scorpius stood between his mother and father, clutching their hands tight. He was just too embarrassed to do anything but mope. He had been so prepared for this day and he had wanted to impress them. Instead, he had choked and looked like a big baby in front of _everyone_. He was starting to hate school. He didn't ever want to come back.

"I have to go to the bathroom," he faltered. He really was going to cry now. He slipped away from his parents despite their mild protests and ran out of the classroom.

"I'll be right back," Draco sighed. Astoria nodded while appearing troubled. Draco weaved past the small crowd to get to the door.

And just outside, he found Potter kneeling on the floor with Scorpius hugging him tight. He stopped short just as Harry saw him. They blinked at each other for a second. Then Harry smiled reassuringly and shook his head. 'He's fine,' he mouthed. Draco hesitated. Harry noticed. "You just need a minute, right?" he asked out loud. Scorpius mumbled incoherently but nodded nonetheless. Harry mouthed, 'He's fine,' again. Draco didn't fancy leaving his son to cry on Potter's shoulder but he didn't know what else to do. He leaned against the doorjamb and crossed his arms against his chest. He'd just watch for now, he supposed.

Harry patted Scorpius' back. "_I_ didn't think you were bad. Your parents didn't think you were bad, either," he said.

"But I _was_ so bad," Scorpius sobbed. "I practiced so hard and I was still so bad. I really practiced. You're lying!"

"Can you tell me what went badly, then?"

"Everything," he lamented. "I couldn't do it. I got scared. I'm so stupid!"

Harry titled his head down to hide his smile from Draco. He knew it wouldn't be appreciated. "Do you know what I heard some of the parents say?" he whispered.

"No," Scorpius sniffed.

"They were looking at your drawings. They _really_ liked them. They said that whoever drew them had great imagination."

Scorpius tightened his arms around Harry. "Really?" he asked.

"Really," Harry said. "Not everyone is great on stage the first time. You've never had to sing in front of so many people before, have you?"

"But it's not hard," Scorpius cried. "It's not hard, so why can't I do it?"

"Maybe you and I can practice together next time, right? That's what we'll do," Harry suggested. "Just like how I help some of your friends with their drawing, I'll help you with your singing. I know Michael and Lisa were _very_ nervous too. Next time, all four of us can practice together. We'll try something different next time. There's always a next time, buddy. You _will_ do better then, I promise you."

"You promise?"

"I do."

Scorpius felt so much better after hearing those comforting words. He let his tears dry up for a few minutes before nervously pulling away from the hug. Harry wiped away the boy's tears with his sleeve. Scorpius glanced down when Harry was finished because he was too mortified to look straight at him. "A-am I your favorite?" he stammered.

Harry nearly laughed at the question but he caught himself in time. He cleared his throat instead while attempting to push his smile away. "Well, I'm not supposed to have favorites, Scorpius," he said dutifully.

Scorpius nodded in understanding. "You're _my_ favorite, okay?" he said in any case. He rubbed his itchy nose and dried his eyes as he turned around. He gasped loudly when he nearly ran into his father. "Oh," he squeaked. "I-I-um…"

"Your mother's waiting in there," Draco murmured and jerked his thumb towards the classroom. Scorpius nodded before scurrying away. Draco turned his attention to Harry. "Are _you_ about to cry too?" he asked.

Harry smiled wanly as he got up. "I wouldn't put it past me," he said. "He's… he gets nervous. He wants to be perfect for you, that's all." He slid his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "He's getting better, though. He never used to tell me what he wanted. I'm glad he's opening up now. I'll make sure he's more comfortable in front of a crowd."

"Thank you."

Harry appeared dubious. His smile fell and his brows started furrowing. "Really?" he asked.

"Really, Potter," Draco said. He glanced to the side to find Astoria and Scorpius standing in front of the window. "Want to meet her?"

"Um… Okay."


	8. Chapter 8

"Nanna?"

"Hmm?"

Scorpius pulled his sticky lollipop out of his mouth and smacked his tongue to the roof of his mouth. "Is Mr. Potter married?" he inquired.

Patricia paused for a moment from her bed making to glance back at her charge who was blinking at her in all seriousness. She turned back to the bed to hide her smile. "He isn't, Scorpius," she answered. "Why do you ask?"

"He doesn't have any children," Scorpius thought aloud. "Why isn't he married?"

"Well, people can't get married unless they find the right person," Patricia said wisely.

"Mother and Father weren't right, were they?" he asked with a sad shake of his head. "That's not good. I hope he marries someone nice. Don't you?"

Patricia looked back again, this time to make sure no one else was in the room with them. Then she turned around to face Scorpius as she sat down on the edge of his bed. She beckoned him forward. Once they were huddled close, she whispered, "I'll tell you a secret, okay?"

"I like secrets."

"Well, I've heard rumors about Harry Potter, you see?" she gesticulated mysteriously. "He used to be _madly_ in love with this girl he had grown up with. They even went to school together for years and years. They were perfect for each other. They fought in the war together, you know?"

"Oh," Scorpius breathed. "And? What happened?"

"No one knows," Patricia exhaled. "She left him heartbroken. People say he doesn't believe in true love anymore. He loved her so, so much. It's sad when people you love don't love you back, right? Maybe he was feeling too sad to get married because he loved her too much."

"That's so bad, Nanna!" Scorpius bemoaned.

"This all happened so many years ago, Scorpius," Patricia sighed. "I bet he's really happy now. But maybe he's still in love with her. So he isn't married yet. One day, he will get over his first love and then he can be married, right?"

"That sounds better…" Scorpius accepted reluctantly. He popped the lollipop back into his mouth as he pondered Harry's circumstance further. "Maybe _you_ can marry him, Nanna," he murmured. "You're nice, just like him."

"Oh, well," Patricia giggled and waved a self-conscious hand at the little boy. "He would never notice someone like me."

"Sure, he would," Scorpius insisted. "He's always laughing and you're always laughing. It'll be fun if he married _you_. He could come play with me all the time."

"Wait a minute. Are you trying to get rid of me, Scorpius?"

"Maybe I am," he retorted before jumping off the bed and running out the room.

He didn't really care that Harry wasn't married. He was just wondering. Most adults he knew were married and had children. But maybe Harry already had Teddy, so he didn't _need_ to be married. It was all very confusing in Scorpius' mind. If Harry was so nice, why didn't he have a wife? Who was this mysterious woman? Why would she make Harry sad?

When asked to comment on Harry's plight, Draco's response was, "Maybe he's too ugly."

"Father! Why are you always so mean? That's why nobody likes you!"

"You're starting to look a bit ugly too. He's probably rubbing off on you."

Scorpius pouted and punched Draco's leg before stalking away. He didn't fancy being called ugly. Blame it on some Malfoy pride, if you will. Besides, after all he had seen of Harry, he was willing to defend the man.

That night he wrote a crooked letter to Teddy. He refused to let his nosy father take a peek. He hunched over his table, using his arms to hide the letter. He knew Teddy would give him a straight answer. He also trusted Teddy to keep the letter to himself.

_Deer Teddy,_

_How are you? I am good. I like the book and I can read it._

He tapped his pencil against his chin. Now that all the pleasantries were out of the way, what did he want to ask Teddy? Should he just ask what happened to Mr. Potter? Or should he be more discreet? It was just so hard to be discreet when he was writing.

_Where is Mr. Potter's girl frend?_

Draco slapped a hand to his forehead as he watched his son dig the pencil into paper. Scorpius didn't seem to notice, but he always spoke out loud while writing so he could sound out the words. "What on _Earth_ are you writing, Scorp?" he asked incredulously.

Scorpius scowled at his father, thinking that he had somehow managed to see the letter despite sitting many meters away by the window. "Go away," he snubbed. "I'm busy. I can't play with you right now."

It was a line Draco often used on Scorpius. It definitely stung to be on the receiving end of that excuse. Draco smiled in defeat despite wincing. His son had already gone back to writing.

_Can we look for her? Then Mr. Potter will be mor happy. He is happy but he will be mor happy. What is her name?_

Scorpius glared at his father when a quiet sound interrupted his concentration. Draco quickly looked out the window and feigned innocence. "Do you have something to say, Father?" he asked.

Another line Draco sometimes used on Scorpius when the boy was being unusually stubborn or shy. "I know her name," he said nonchalantly as he pressed his forehead against the glass. He was met with silence. Scorpius obviously didn't believe him. He glanced at the boy. "Really. I do."

"What is it?" Scorpius asked casually.

"I'm not telling you."

"Then you don't know her name."

"I do. I went to school with Potter, remember?"

Scorpius' glower intensified. "I'm asking Teddy. Not you," he muttered. He tucked his head down and obstinately kept writing.

_Have you seen her? Nanna says Mr. Potter's hart is brokn. Is it bad? Can you look for his girl frend? Tank you._

_Scorpius Malfoy_

He set his pencil down on the table firmly and set about folding the letter.

"I'm not owling that letter for you, Scorp," Draco scoffed. "You're embarrassing me."

"I don't need you," Scorpius spurned. "Nanna will owl it." He loved feeling this superior and independent. It didn't happen often when he got into fights with his father.

* * *

Teddy was just about to lob a breakfast roll across the table when an owl swooped down and landed gracefully beside his plate. It tilted its head to the side and held out its leg. He undid the small letter after throwing his projectile, ducking just in time to miss one that came his way. He could guess at the handwriting even though he didn't read the contents of the letter. "Hey!" he exclaimed, grabbing the attention of the surrounding first year Gryffindors. "I've got a letter from my cousin!"

"You haven't got a cousin… Oh…"

"_Now_ you believe me, don't you?" Teddy proclaimed as he waved the letter in front of his friends' faces. Then he pulled it closer to read it. His eyes went wider and wider still as he skimmed the letter three times over. "Oh my goodness!" he hooted with laughter. Before his friends could ask, he had scrambled out of the bench and was racing down the Great Hall.

* * *

The dimly lit bedroom had previously been filled with quiet breathing and stifled snores. Now the sound of flapping wings and harried hoots was enough of a wake-up call despite it being an hour too early.

"RUDDY BIRD! GO AWAY!"

The barn owl swooped down onto the bed and pecked at the mop of red hair that showed from under the covers. Ginny flapped her sleepy arms about to no avail. She could tell Teddy's owl from all the others because it was _always dead__ set _on annoying her every time she tried to sleep. She rolled over with a whine and blindly felt above her head for the bird's neck so she could wring it just a bit before letting it go. The owl evaded her hand quite easily. "Give me my letter," she groaned. "That's all I ever want from you. Why won't you leave me alone?" The owl hopped over to perch on her chest and she undid the small scroll that was tied to its leg. Then she shooed it away grumpily.

It took her a few minutes to wake up properly. She rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed while yawning. When she unrolled the parchment, she found a smaller paper enclosed within. She read that first.

_Deer Teddy,_

_How are you? I am good. I like the book and I can read it. Where is Mr. Potter's girl frend? Can we look for her? Then Mr. Potter will be mor happy. He is happy but he will be mor happy. What is her name? Have you seen her? Nanna says Mr. Potter's hart is brokn. Is it bad? Can you look for his girl frend? Tank you._

_Scorpius Malfoy_

"Uh…"

She quickly picked up the longer letter.

_Read the other one first! It's from Scorpius! Read it!_

_Done?_

_So Scorpius Malfoy's my cousin, right? Harry invited them over for Christmas Eve. He's the coolest little guy, Ginny! He's so quiet and shy but, obviously, very grown up. Did you know Harry's teaching him in school? Anyway, I got this letter from him out of the blue! So random! He loves Harry. Not as much as me, of course, but still. He says when he grows up, he wants to be like Harry. Isn't that funny?_

_What do you want me to say to him? He's not like Draco Malfoy, so don't get all huffy like Percy and Bill. He's only five and he wrote me that letter. He's going to be a Slytherin, just you wait! He's got it all figured out in his head. Harry says so too. Harry likes him too. I think you should write to him. You don't want to make Harry mor sad, do you?_

_Send me back Scorpius' letter with your reply, okay? I want to keep it._

_Love,  
Teddy_

_P.S. BRING ME A BROOMSTICK! TANK YOU!_

"Oh man," she laughed tiredly.

* * *

Harry was just finishing up his lesson plan at his desk when the fireplace suddenly flared orange, startling him into knocking his hand against the inkwell and upsetting it. Before he could duck under the table, Ginny's flickering face appeared in the flames. "Not so fast, Potter!" she bellowed.

Harry froze while trying hard to wipe his guilty expression off his face. "I wasn't going anywhere," he lied through his teeth.

"You come here right now," she said sternly.

Harry slumped in his seat and thought about ignoring her to just sulk on his own. He had been skirting her for ages, though. He pulled himself up and dragged himself towards the fireplace. Ginny gestured for him to sit down on the rug and he obeyed without a word. Then she cleared her throat and made a show of holding up a piece of paper in front of him.

"Where is Mr. Potter's girlfriend?" she read. "Can we look for her? Then Mr. Potter will be more happy. He is happy but he will be more happy."

"Wh-what?" Harry stammered. "What's that? Where did you get that, Gin?"

"Oh, it's not over yet," she glared at him to keep him quiet. "What is her name? Have you seen her? Nanna says Mr. Potter's heart is broken. Is it bad? Can you look for his girlfriend?"

Harry dropped his blushing face in his hands.

"Harry Potter, are you truly heart broken?" Ginny asked in mock dismay. "I mean, how could I ever be so cruel?"

"Shut up," Harry moaned. "Who wrote that, Ginny?"

"Your favorite student, apparently," she smirked. "Scorpius Malfoy, it says." She showed the letter to Harry. "Interesting kid. He even said thank you. He wrote it to Teddy. Teddy sent it to me."

"Don't read other people's letters!"

"Couldn't help it."

"Oh man…"

Ginny laughed at Harry's mortification as she scooted closer to the fire. "Anyway, he really does sound worried about you," she continued. She was genuine now. "You're alright, aren't you?"

"Of course, I am," Harry said with a sorry smile. "I can't believe he wrote that. I don't know what he was thinking."

"Well, from what I heard from Ted, Scorpius pretty weird. It's not the first time you've had to fend off your fans." She winked when he pulled a face at her. "And, speaking of your precious fans, Teddy's being a pain in my arse _again_. I mean, how many damned broomsticks does he need? He sends me a letter every other day asking for one. What does he do? Gobble them up for dinner?"

"Don't ask me." Harry held his hands up in surrender. "He thinks he's some kind of a collector. Don't bother with it. It's a phase. And _don't_ show Scorp's letter to anyone."

"Well, my teammates really did think it was adorab-"

"WHAT? GINNY!"

"Gotta go, _boyfriend_," she grinned impishly with a chorus of laughter behind her before disappearing from the flames.

* * *

Scorpius excitedly opened up his very first letter and plopped down on the sofa to curl up and read it. It was hard to contain his anticipation and his hands were shaky as a result. He pressed his elbows hard against his thighs to keep them still.

_Dear Scorpius,_

_I was so happy to get your letter! You can write anytime. I am doing very well, thank you. I am also glad that you like your book. I will give you another one when I come home for holidays._

_Her name is Ginny. She plays Quidditch for the Holyhead Harpies. I am sure you have heard of her. She is famous like Harry because she is good at playing Quidditch. But she isn't his girlfriend. They are just best friends. He isn't heart broken. Don't worry. He has us, doesn't he? He is happy if we are around. But, if you want to write to Ginny, you can send me a letter and I can give it to her. We talk all the time._

_Write soon!_

_Love,  
Teddy_

Draco looked up from his late dinner when his son marched into the kitchen with his chest puffed out. "What now?" he asked as he set the plate down on the counter beside him.

"I know Mr. Potter's girlfriend's name now," Scorpius announced.

"I could have told you two days ago."

Scorpius pretended not to hear him. He brought the letter up to his eyes. "Her name is Gi… Gin… Ginny." He smiled triumphantly at his father. "_And_," he added, "she plays Quidditch for the… Ho-Holeye… Holeyeheed H-Harp-Harps. She plays for the Holeyeheed Harps."

"Holyhead Harpies."

"That's what I said."

"No. You said Holeyeheed Harps. It's Holyhead Harpies."

Scorpius clicked his tongue. "Alright," he huffed. "Holyhead Harpies. She isn't his girlfriend anymore. She's his _best_ friend. Like Mother's your _best_ friend, right? Maybe they're like Mother and you. That's okay, I think."

Draco couldn't help conceding upon seeing his son's distant expression. He knelt on the ground with a smile. "Well, I am _very_ proud of you, okay?" he said. "You found all that out by yourself, hmm? That's very grown up of you."

"I know," Scorpius mumbled shyly. "And Teddy said I need to write to him more."

"And will you?"

"Oh, yes," he nodded big. "I can practice my homework. Mr. Potter said that is important."

"Is Mr. Potter all you can think about?" Draco scowled.

Scorpius giggled. "He's nicer than you, Father. I might start liking him more. What will you do?"

"What ever shall I do?" Draco tsked. He wrapped an arm around Scorpius and jerked him forward into a hug. "He doesn't seem even a _little_ ugly to you?"

"Daddy!"

* * *

**A/N**: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! :) Thanks for all the alerts and faves! Wow, definitely wasn't expecting it on _this_ story. Also, if you guys want to see something specific in this story, let me know. I don't have a complete structure yet, so I can fit in different scenarios - funny, angst, romantic, anything goes.


	9. Chapter 9

Harry was on his way in from recess when he was called to the office for a message. After ensuring all the children were accounted for, he made his way down there and got a note from the secretary. He frowned at it for a good minute, overlooking the quizzical looks he was getting from everyone in the hallway, before stuffing the parchment into his pocket and returning to class.

As the children were being put down for naptime, he knelt beside Scorpius who was busily fluffing up his pillow and neatly brushing down his sheets. After a few months of watching the boy perform the same rituals, a few of the children who slept around him had also started doing the same, making it quite a comical sight to witness.

"Hey, buddy," Harry said quietly as Scorpius settled onto the pillow. "Your father won't be able to pick you up from school today, okay? He's caught up at work."

"Nanna can pick me up."

"She's away on holidays, remember?"

"Oh…"

"He asked if I could take care of you for a few hours after school. Is that okay?"

Scorpius blinked at Harry for a moment before nodding.

"Good," Harry smiled. "Maybe we'll raid Teddy's bedroom for some more books, huh?"

"Okay."

That evening after school let out, Scorpius stayed in the classroom while all the other children left the premises. He watched Harry tidy up the tables and chairs with Gabrielle cleaning the blackboard and putting away all the books. In the back of his mind, he felt a nagging worry pulling his attention away but he pushed it back. He didn't mind visiting Harry's house again. He hadn't explored it yet and it looked like a house that had a lot of secrets. He was just a bit confused as to why his father wasn't picking him up. That had never happened before.

He got up from his perch on the bench when Harry pulled on his coat and shouldered his messenger bag. "Ready to go?" the teacher asked as he held out a hand. Scorpius took it without a word. Mr. Potter's hands were strangely warm unlike his father's. It wasn't as soft as his father's either. He clutched it tight as they walked down the stairs and down the street. Mr. Potter's house was _very_ close to school, so he didn't apparate. It was a nice day out, so that was okay. It was nearly March and most of the snow had melted away. Scorpius didn't like ice. He had slipped more than a handful of times. It wasn't fun.

"Do you like ice?" he asked his teacher.

"On the ground?" Harry clarified.

"Mhm."

"Not particularly. I can't skate."

Scorpius couldn't either. He simply nodded and watched his feet as he scurried to keep up with Harry's strides. He was used to hurrying. His father _always_ walked fast. He was always in a hurry. If Scorpius didn't hurry, then he'd be left behind. He couldn't wait to be taller so he wouldn't have to keep hurrying like this. He nearly tripped over a sidewalk crack but quickly caught himself with a small stumble. Oh yes, hurrying wasn't fun at all.

"What would you like to eat?" Harry asked him.

"I'm not hungry, Mr. Potter."

"But maybe you'll get hungry when you see _me_ eat. What would you like? A sandwich?"

"Is that what _you_ like?" Scorpius countered.

"Sure."

"Okay. I will eat a sandwich with you."

He almost never had sandwiches. Draco didn't think it was real food. He always had pasta or casseroles or chicken. Patricia was quite good at those. Scorpius liked the idea of sandwiches though. Whenever he saw his classmates eating them, he would get a little jealous. It looked so yummy with red jam in the middle. He always brought stir-fry to school. While he got many compliments on how good his lunch smelled, he always glanced longingly at the sandwiches in his friends' lunchboxes. Maybe Harry had jam in his house. He hoped so.

"I can't blow up a sandwich, in any case," Harry added.

"Yeah," Scorpius mumbled while stifling a giggle. In hindsight, that had been funny to see his teacher sitting on the ground with sauce all over him. "When will my father pick me up?"

"Just a few hours," Harry assured him. "And, don't worry, I won't make you do _too_ much homework."

"Oh, I _like_ homework," Scorpius told him importantly. "You can make me do homework. I'll show you." He liked accomplishing tasks that his teachers gave him in his workbook. He liked to do them neatly because, then, he'd get stickers of stars on his paper. He could show that to Astoria. She would love them. He liked feeling smart. He slipped his hand out of Harry's to wipe it on his pants to get rid of the clamminess. He must have warm hands like Harry too because his was sweating. He reached out to hold his teacher's hand again. "Do you live all by yourself, Mr. Potter?" he asked.

"I sure do."

"You like it?"

"Mhm."

Mr. Potter was a grown-up after all. Scorpius wondered if he would live alone when he was all grown-up. Probably not. He wanted to get married to someone really nice and live with her. As long as he had one person with him, he was fine. "You don't even have _one_ person living with you, Mr. Potter?"

"Well… Teddy used to stay over a lot until last year. But I don't mind. I see so many people all day long, right? It's nice to be alone for a bit, I think," Harry explained.

"Is it okay if I'm coming over, then?" Scorpius mumbled in confusion. "You won't be alone."

Harry laughed in defeat. "You take everything a bit too literally, Scorpius," he answered. "Of course I don't mind. It's not a rule, you know. I don't _have_ to be alone. I like having people over. It's fun, right?"

"When Theo comes over, it's fun," Scorpius remarked. "Hmm."

They had reached 12 Grimmauld Place by then. Harry helped Scorpius out of his shoes and jacket, hanging up his backpack as well before ushering him into the kitchen. Scorpius had his hands clasped shyly in front of him while he watched Harry flick his wand and get to work. Watching adults use magic was fascinating. It was amazing to see the things they could do. Like how Mr. Potter had conjured up white plates along with white mugs.

"Milk?" he asked.

"Yes, please," Scorpius murmured. He didn't really like milk, but he was trying to make a good impression.

Harry poured a healthy draught for the both of them and then lined up two pieces of bread on each plate. After, he gestured for Scorpius to follow him to the dining room where he set up the plates side by side and helped the boy up onto the chair. Scorpius narrowed his eyes at the empty slices of bread. Maybe Mr. Potter didn't know how to make sandwiches…

Harry swished his wand at the kitchen. Scorpius' eyes widened when an assortment of cheese, cold cuts and jams floated out. "I used to do this with Teddy," Harry said conversationally as he sat down, not really noticing Scorpius' astonishment. "He's such a picky eater, so I let him make his own sandwich."

Scorpius could hardly sit still. There was so much in front of him. He shifted in the chair so he could sit on his knees, which gave him a much higher vantage point. He wanted to get a good look at the spread in front of him. Harry was already helping himself to the lettuce and turkey slices. There was also butter and tomatoes and this strange jar of black things and half a loaf of bread.

Harry glanced at Scorpius when the boy didn't really moving. "Not sure what you want?" he asked.

"No," Scorpius said honestly. "There's so many, Mr. Potter."

"Well… Why don't you start by thinking of what you _don't_ want?"

Scorpius eyed the jams. He wanted something sweet, not savory. Harry observed the boy for a moment while smiling before reaching over to split the sweet stuff from the other stuff. Scorpius blushed and squirmed. This was awesome! He wondered if he should try the red jam or the purple one.

"You can mix them too," Harry offered. "Teddy usually puts strawberry on one slice and chocolate on the other."

"Chocolate?" Scorpius gasped before he could stop himself.

Harry smirked slyly. "Never tried a chocolate spread?"

Of course he hadn't! Draco would have a fit. "No," he breathed. "Chocolate?"

Harry unscrewed the lid off of one of the jars in front of Scorpius. "There you go. Try this first." He dug a butter knife into the creamy spread that smelled much too incredible.

Scorpius couldn't believe his eyes as he pulled the knife out of the jar and saw chocolate coating the metal edge. This was his dream come true! He swiped the knife over a bit of his bread. It really was chocolate. He picked the bread up and bit the edge that he had spread chocolate onto. It seemed to melt in his mouth. He sighed unconsciously, which caused Harry's smile to widen into a grin. He watched the boy quickly dunk the butter knife back into the jar and take another small portion. He was rationing it out, by the looks of it. He wanted to savor the taste.

"Maybe you could ask your father to buy you some," Harry commented.

"Oh, he wouldn't," Scorpius hurried to say. "He says chocolates aren't something you eat every day."

"Then tell him you'll only eat it once a week."

"But I won't be able to stop myself from eating it every day, Mr. Potter," he argued. "It's so good! How do _you_ stop yourself from eating it?"

Harry winked good-naturedly. "Who says I'm stopping myself from eating it? It's part of my wholesome breakfast, isn't it?" he said conspiringly. "Don't tell anyone."

"I love it," Scorpius gushed. "Don't tell anyone."

"Especially not your father," Harry whispered with a finger at his lips. Scorpius laughed happily and shrugged.

After their snack, they cleaned up all their crumbs and finished their milk before retiring to the living room where Harry laid out Scorpius' workbook on the coffee table that was just low enough for the boy to kneel beside and write diligently. Scorpius was even more nervous because his teacher was sitting right next to him, watching him write. But he didn't make any mistakes and he flushed with pride every time he finished one line perfectly. Sometimes Harry helped him with some of the cursive letters so they could be curlier. Even though Scorpius never asked for help, he liked being helped if it meant that he could do things better. He was finished his work in record time too because he wanted to impress his teacher, just like when he wanted to impress his father. He looked up at Harry after he had closed his book.

"Whatever shall I do with you, Scorpius?" Harry sighed. "You're just too smart for your own good."

Scorpius grinned. This was fun!

They did raid Teddy's library after and took lots of picture books down with them. Scorpius sat on the couch with the books beside him and one open on his lap. Harry was sitting beside him against the arm of the couch with his legs crossed and his own book sitting on his lap. Scorpius found Harry's reading posture rather funny. The man sat hunched over with a hand pushed into his cheek and the other holding the pages down. His hair fell over his eyes and he would spend every few minutes pushing it away. When his back ached, he would sit up and arch it with a quiet groan before going back to hunching over. Scorpius didn't understand why Mr. Potter wouldn't just sit properly like you were supposed to.

He often sat this way and read with his father. On Sundays, when they had nothing to do, they would sit on the floor of the playroom by the window and read for hours. He would be on his father's lap, of course, but they would be quiet and the only sounds in the room would be of pages flipping. Sometimes those sounds made him so sleepy that he would take an impromptu nap. In fact, he was feeling a nap coming along now.

When Harry glanced up from his book, he found Scorpius sleeping quietly with his head against the cushion on the arm of the couch and his legs curled up. He glanced down at his watch. It was only seven and the boy was already asleep. Maybe he had been tuckered out from school. Harry rolled his neck and arched his achy back before conjuring up a thin blanket. He draped it over Scorpius.

The slight shift must have startled the boy because he jerked and the book that had been held in his hand fell to the ground with a resounding thud, waking him up. He sat up suddenly. "Daddy?" he whimpered.

"Just me," Harry said quietly. He attempted to put Scorpius to sleep again.

But he had been woken up too abruptly, making him confused and bewildered. He struggled get out from under the blanket. "Where's Father?" he kept asking.

Harry finally resorted to pulling Scorpius closer and onto his lap, cradling him to get him out of his nightmare. "Hey, buddy. He'll be here in a bit, remember? He's at work, isn't he? Let's sleep for a bit, okay?" he comforted.

Scorpius moaned as he turned to bury his face against Harry's chest. He was asleep a few moments later with his hands clenched into fists at his stomach and his breath unsteady, as though he would cry any moment now. Harry reached down and gently stroked his hair. He hated seeing children in distress, even when sleeping. He settled against the sofa and held Scorpius close, pushing away all the bad dreams in the child's mind.

It was an hour later when the doorbell rang.

Harry's irritation and anger was plainly visible on his face as he pulled the door open.

That expression softened immediately when he saw Draco's weary eyes and unusually pale complexion. Draco didn't even glance at Harry once because his attention honed in on Scorpius sleeping at the man's shoulder. He reached out instinctively to hold him.

Harry stepped away.

Draco blinked twice. His blank eyes shifted to make room for disorientation and he turned his attention to Harry, searching his face. He reached out again.

"Inside," Harry murmured instead of handing Scorpius over. He turned away from Draco and walked into the living room, trusting the man to follow him in.

Draco was too confused to argue and too tired to ponder Potter's intentions. He closed the door behind him and toed his shoes off before making his way into the living room where Harry was settling back down on the couch. He was about to take a seat on the chair across from the coffee table when Harry interrupted by clearing his throat. Draco arched a brow when the teacher scooted over and gestured for him to take a seat on the couch as well. He was thoroughly perplexed now.

As soon as he was seated on the sofa, Harry shifted Scorpius into his arms.

The boy stirred and clutched at his father's shirt with a soft murmur. Draco wrapped him in a tight hug. He'd be damned if he was going to let Potter take his kid again.

"Where were you?" Harry asked quietly.

"I should go," Draco hedged, already moving to get up.

Harry stopped him with both a hand on his shoulder and a question. "What did they want?"

Draco gritted his teeth. At times like this, he was just fed up with his life. "I don't know," he snapped. "Every time a damned leaf falls, they haul me in for questioning."

"Even when you're at work?"

"Hmm. Justice knows no bounds, right?" he drawled.

Harry let go of Draco but neither of them moved after. Loads of questions hung in the air, tense and unsettling. Neither of them dared say what was on their mind. Harry looked down at his hands that were twisted together into nervous knots.

"Worst part is…" Draco started to speak before trailing off.

Harry swallowed hard before glancing up at him again. "He… He had some bread and chocolate spread for a snack after school. I hope that's okay."

Draco couldn't help his dry smile. "Hmm. Yes. It's okay," he murmured. He got up with Scorpius in his arms. "Thanks, Harry," he added as an afterthought.

"Yeah. No problem," Harry replied. He quickly gathered up all of Scorpius' things and put them in the backpack, all the while feeling Draco's eyes on his back. He knew it wasn't his place to counsel Draco but he also know it wasn't right to just turn a blind eye to the situation. "What's the worst part?" he asked as he held the backpack out.

Draco took the bag while carefully looking away from Harry. He moved to the foyer where he slipped his shoes on halfway and attempted to grab his son's shoes by awkwardly bending down. Harry helped him with it. He also draped Scorpius' jacket across the boy's shoulders to keep him warm. His hand lingered against Scorpius' back for a moment, which was long enough for Draco to notice. "I'm alright," he went on to say. "Really."

Harry didn't look so sure. "I… Isn't there a statute of limitations for this sort of thing?" he asked weakly. "They can't just impede on your life like that for no reason, can they?"

"No reason?" Draco echoed. "I'm blacklisted for no reason?"

Harry didn't know how to respond to that. The war had been a decade ago. However, the effects of it still resonated to this day, evidenced by Draco's impromptu summons that evening to the Ministry for questioning based on almost no clear motive.

Draco exhaled loudly when he saw worry lines creasing Harry's brow. "I'm used to it by now, Potter. I know I'm a suspect in nearly every case they'll have for the next thirty years," he said. "Worst part is that I'll always be guilty, won't I? Someone will always think I'm guilty. And Scorpius…"

"What?"

He moved his hand to press it against Scorpius' soft hair, caressing him lovingly without thinking about it. "I mean… If they…" he broke off. What he was trying to say was that, one day, he won't have any more evidence to prove his innocence. And that day he could possibly be sentenced. Then Scorpius… What would he think? "Goodnight," he said as he stepped out the front door and disapparated before Harry could see his genuine panic.

* * *

Scorpius was astonished when he woke up in his own bed the next morning. He opened his eyes to his father's even breathing. He was wrapped in a hug. It felt nice. He tilted his head up to look at Draco's slumbering expression. It wasn't often that he awoke before his father. The sun was barely breaking out of the sky. Scorpius snuggled against Draco some more and yawned. He had dreamt of chocolates and magic that night and it had tasted amazing. He giggled to himself when he remembered his secret. He wiggled his trapped hands out and above his head so he could wind his arms around Draco's neck.

Draco sighed awake when he felt that tickle. He fluttered his lids to focus on his son's sly smile.

"You're supposed to be a big boy, Father," Scorpius chided lightly. "Even if you have nightmares, you're supposed to sleep in your own bed, remember?"

Draco tipped his head down to knock foreheads with his son. "Don't get sassy, Scorp," he whispered. He rolled over so Scorpius was lying atop him. He brushed down the boy's feathered hair. The ache in his heart that had started the night before was starting to return as he tried to memorize his son's innocent eyes and wonderful smile. "I love you. Do you know that?"

Scorpius blushed beautifully. He was staggered for obvious reasons. He had no idea how to respond to that. He had heard other people say it before. Just… never his father. "I-I-I… I-I love you too," he managed to stammer out. "I really do."

"I know," Draco reassured him. "Of course I know you love me."

Scorpius hid his embarrassed face against Draco's shoulder. "Of course I know you love me, Daddy," he mumbled.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Short chapter, but I'm planning on getting the ball rolling after this. Soon, my patient readers. Soon. Also, your reviews... Oh, I could kiss you. All of them are so incredibly sweet and make me feel warm on the inside :D In fact, everything about this story makes me feel warm on the inside!

* * *

Harry couldn't say he was too surprised when, after school the next day, he found Draco scuffing the tiles outside the door to the classroom. Scorpius started in wonder at the unexpected sight. "Father," he squeaked in astonishment. "What are _you_ doing in _here_?"

Draco absently patted Scorpius' head. "I need to speak with Mr. Potter for a bit, okay? Are you fine with playing outside?" he asked.

"O-okay. Yes," Scorpius stammered, but not before flicking worried eyes between his teacher and his father. The last time those two had talked in a classroom, his father had stormed away and Mr. Potter had been _very_ rude. And that was all because of a simple misunderstanding. He hadn't even wanted to see his cousin… He had a feeling they were going to talk about him and he hoped it wasn't bad like last time. His father's expression looked bad, though. "Um… Okay," he mumbled again before running away, all the while trying hard to remember if he had said something that warranted such a meeting.

Harry silently gestured at Gabrielle to step outside. She appeared surprised as well, but didn't ask any questions. She nodded stiffly at Draco before walking out the classroom, leaving the men alone.

"I just… figured I'd come clean," Draco started off. He cleared his throat. "It's obviously no coincidence that Scorpius is in your class."

"Mhm," Harry nodded. He had guessed as much. It was obvious Slytherin thinking, of course, to befriend a powerful man to get forward in life. Draco had done it before with the Dark Army. Harry was fine with it too. He had made many 'friends' over the past few years. He had helped people get the right jobs and references. He didn't really care if the Malfoys used him to help themselves as well. What else was he supposed to do with all his unused persuasive powers?

"I never realized how… I mean, until yesterday, I… I didn't think this mattered," Draco continued.

Harry stared at him for a beat. "Wait… This wasn't your idea?" he asked incredulously. For a moment, he had thought that it had been Draco's plan to get Scorpius in his good books.

"I didn't really know you were a teacher," Draco shrugged. "Astoria enrolled Scorpius here. I would rather have him learn at home and… But she has less sentimentality than me, I suppose, so it was easy for her to see the big picture."

Harry was starting to understand now. "And what's the big picture?"

Draco slid his hands into his pockets, firstly to unconsciously grip his wand and secondly to stop himself from losing his nerve. It wasn't often that he let his guard drop and his vulnerability rise like this. "If… something were to happen… you would take care of Scorpius for me, won't you?" he finally asked. He was surprised that his voice never wavered and that his gaze never shifted from Harry. He had expected his emotions to overtake him, but his rationality seemed to have taken control instead. He was glad for that. He knew what the answer would be. All he had to do was ask the right question. All he had needed to do was to let go of his pride for just a moment to ask Harry Potter the right question. Then he would be able to sleep at night without worrying about the future.

"Of course. Of course, I would. He's family, isn't he?"

And it was that simple. Draco pulled his hands out of his pockets and nodded. Next time he got his hands on Stori, he would be landing an amorous kiss against her lips, that was for certain. She had always been the levelheaded one.

"What happened last night?"

Draco shook his head flippantly. "They just call it routine questioning and whatnot," he said. "They make me wait in the interrogation room for a few hours and then ask me things – my whereabouts and all. I provide alibis and they check it out. That's all."

Harry clicked his tongue in exasperation. He had expected to hear this but had been hoping against hope not to. Prejudices still ran high, especially within the Ministry. Draco was one of the few Death Eaters who were acquitted, but that didn't mean he was in the clear. "How often?"

"Not often," Draco said vaguely. "I'm done trying to fight it, in any case. Bygones and all. It's just wasted breath on them."

"But you do see how wrong that is, don't you?" Harry went on to argue. "I mean, if that happened to me, I'd be furious."

"And it would never happen to you," Draco finished. "So it's okay."

"It's not okay," Harry grumbled under his breath even though he sounded a bit juvenile saying that. "And, for what it's worth, I won't think you're guilty until I see some concrete evidence, okay?"

Draco smirked. "For what it's worth?" he repeated.

"Yes."

"What are you worth, exactly?"

"I'm a pretty big deal," Harry sniffed haughtily. "Haven't you noticed?"

Draco shook his head in defeat while smiling. "Alright, you're a big deal," he conceded. "Now you've got both Scorpius and me believing it. Happy?"

"Quite."

Scorpius had been swinging nervously for many minutes while keeping his unblinking eyes trained on the front doors of his school. His hands kept twisting around the cold chains in an anxious manner while his feet were hooked together by the ankles, his toes wiggling in his shoes the whole time. When he saw his father walk out with Mr. Potter in toe, he nearly fell face first onto the ground in his hurry to get off the swing. He thankfully caught himself in time. He grabbed his backpack off the ground and ran towards them. He hoped he wasn't in an awful lot of trouble. They had been inside for way too long.

His racing heart eased up a bit when he saw the smiles on their faces. They weren't even looking at him, in fact. That was great! He stopped right beside his father's leg and reached up to grab his hand.

"Guess we should go, huh?" Draco asked him. Scorpius nodded. He had a lot to ask his father, after all. Draco glanced up at Harry again to say goodbye. Scorpius mimicked him and then the Malfoys were on their way home.

"Did you talk about me?" Scorpius wanted to know as soon as they were out of Harry's earshot.

"What else?" Draco responded.

"Nice things?"

"Definitely not."

Scorpius huffed.

* * *

"Father?"

Draco looked up from his work to find Scorpius standing by the entrance of the study, arms wrapped around a notebook against his chest and expression quite hesitant. "Yes?" Draco responded as he put his quill away.

"For school," Scorpius began, "I need to collect different leaves."

"Leaves?"

"We're using leaves in art class."

Draco nodded slowly, not quite understanding.

"C-can we go to the park to look for leaves?"

He was taken aback. Scorpius _never_ asked him to help out with projects. In fact, the boy always turned to his nanny for that. "Can't Patty take you?" he asked.

Scorpius nodded quickly. "Okay," he murmured before turning around and running out of the office.

Draco rolled his eyes. His son _really_ needed to learn to hide his thoughts. It was almost always written on his face as plain as day.

Scorpius was sulking in his bedroom when Draco walked in. He didn't even look up when he heard footsteps. He pretended to be busy with his books. Draco sat down on the floor beside his boy's chair and watched him pretend for a while longer. Scorpius kept up the act for a minute, but there was only so much he could do with books that were already neatly stacked up. So he sat back in his chair and looked down at his hands.

"Did you feel bad?" Draco wanted to know.

"About what?"

"I didn't mean it that way, Scorp. It's just that… you've never invited me to the park before, that's all." Draco patted Scorpius' back. "If you want, I could spare an hour right now. Hmm? Shall we go?"

"No," Scorpius muttered. "I'll go with Nanna tomorrow." He got up from his chair and sidestepped Draco so he could walk out of the room. Draco sighed in defeat. While his son needed to control his emotions, Draco needed to learn to say yes once in a while.

Scorpius rarely asked for things. Draco often made sure the boy didn't need to ask. But when it came to spending time with his son, all he knew how to do was to watch him draw and read with him. Playing with a child was just such a foreign concept. Draco didn't know how it was done. With Patricia available almost everyday for Scorpius' needs, Draco had never really needed to play with his son. But now his son was coming to _him_, wanting to spend time with _him_, willing to be patient with _him_. He needed to adapt to that.

The next evening, Scorpius was kneeling on the carpeted floor of his bedroom, laying out all the leaves he had picked up from the park in order of size. He had made sure to pick the most perfect ones and he was quite proud of his collection of ten different leaves, all of them colored different shades of green.

He glanced to his side when he heard a soft knock against his open door. His father stood against the doorjamb, his hands clutched in front of him. And those hands held neatly pressed leaves.

Scorpius' shoulders slumped, as though guilt had forced them down. "Daddy," he mumbled. He held out a hand to beckon Draco closer.

Draco moved to sit next to Scorpius and handed over the leaves he had collected. "I found them near work. I thought you might like them," he said. "Do you?"

"You felt bad," Scorpius realized. He looked down at the five leaves his father had got for him. "I didn't want you to feel bad…"

"I didn't feel bad. I just wanted to help."

Scorpius moved his arm and hooked it around his father's elbow. "You are _very_ helpful," he stated firmly. Then he set about putting the rest of the leaves in order with the ones he had already laid out. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Scorpius then pulled a large piece of parchment close to them. "You can help me some more, okay?" he said. "We'll stick the leaves nicely on here to show my teachers. We'll make it look like a tree."

* * *

Harry and Gabrielle admired Scorpius' project with raised brows and impressed smiles. "My father helped me," the young boy announced proudly to anyone who was listening. "He has nice writing. See?" He gestured at the swirling and elegant words that were written on the very top of the parchment. "I like this the best."

"Well, it's certainly very nice of your father to have helped you," Harry praised.

"He got me this, this, this, this and this," Scorpius added while pointing out the five leaves Draco had collected. "He got them from work for me."

"It's the biggest tree I've seen," Gabrielle gushed. "Did you color in the tree trunk and branches?"

"Mhm. I did. I didn't go outside the lines."

Harry was so glad to feel Scorpius' enthusiasm. It wasn't often that the boy spoke so highly of one of his own words. He was always so critical instead of pleased. "Then I guess you need to share your star with your father, huh?" he asked.

Scorpius hadn't thought of that… "Oh!" he exclaimed while holding up a finger. "Can my father get his _own_ star?" he asked. "Please?"

Gabrielle laughed as she nodded. "Of course, he can."

So, that evening when Draco came home from work, Scorpius was waiting for him by the stairs with a small note in his hand. Draco looked down at the red sticker on the otherwise empty paper. "What's this?" he asked curiously.

"It's your star," Scorpius told him. "My teachers said we did a very good job with the tree, so I got a star and _you_ got a star. Isn't that nice?"

"What am I supposed to do with a star?"

Scorpius' smile quickly turned into a scowl. "Well, if you don't want it, I'll take it," he grumbled as he snatched the note out of Draco's hand. His father could be _so_ unappreciative at times.

"I'd rather have money," Draco said as he made his way into the kitchen. "That's useful. What am I supposed to do with a star?"

Scorpius pulled a face behind Draco's back.

* * *

"My father didn't like the star. He said he wants money."

Harry bowled over with laughter.

"Can _I _keep my father's star?"

* * *

"Mr. Potter gave me this!" Scorpius held out a Knut. "For you."

Draco dropped his head in defeat.

* * *

Draco and Astoria didn't meet again until the year-end pageant a couple months later. And he sure did kiss her the moment she walked in through the door.

"Oh," she gasped in amazement as she was dipped over Draco's arm without warning. She was still dazed when he had righted her. "What was _that_ for?" she asked once she caught her lost breath.

"For being the most brilliant woman in the world," Draco announced without shame.

Scorpius wrinkled his nose at his parents. They could be so silly at times. "Mother, you come in," he grumbled as he grabbed Astoria's hand and pulled her into the living room where he had laid out all his schoolwork.

That night Draco stayed by the door to Scorpius' room, watching Astoria tuck the boy into bed. He was already sleeping, so he didn't put up a fuss. He simply turned onto his side and hugged himself without so much as a whine. Astoria kissed his chubby cheek goodnight before straightening up. She stopped short when she noticed Draco standing in the corridor. She tilted her head at him and he smiled back.

"You're acting weird, Malfoy," Astoria whispered as she pulled the door a bit to leave it half-open. Draco grabbed her hand and ushered her down to the kitchen where he had already gotten out a couple glasses of red wine. "Ooh. What's the occasion?" she asked.

"Potter's in the bag," Draco proclaimed.

"In the bag?" Astoria repeated while narrowing her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means your plan worked!"

"What plan?"

So Draco told her all about his newly formed association with Potter, leaving out some of the more sappy bits for his sake. He told her how Harry thought of Scorpius as part of the family and that, if anything were to happen to the child, people would have the Boy-Who-Lived to answer to. Ultimately, this meant that any lingering prejudices in people's minds about Malfoys would be wiped clean by the mere mention of Potter's name. If Potter advocated for Scorpius, then there was no reason to fear for his future. And it was all thanks to Astoria's insistent urgings for Scorpius to be sent to a public teaching environment. In fact, Scorpius was doing so much better himself. He was conversing more, playing more and laughing more. Draco just couldn't shut up about his son once he had started. The glass of wine wasn't helping either.

Astoria hadn't stopped smiling since Draco's long ranting. Even after they had moved to the living room again and with Draco quietly relaying Scorpius' adventures with experimental sandwiches, she couldn't stop smiling. She rested her head against his shoulder, catching him by surprise and causing his words to drop away. "Keep going," she prompted as she curled her legs up on the couch and onto Draco's.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked curiously.

Astoria shrugged. "I've never heard you talk like this," she mumbled. "I like it. You sound nice."

"Oh?"

"Scorpius isn't the only one who's gotten better…"

Draco tilted his head to the side to press a kiss against Astoria's blond curls. "I just… Seeing Scorpius like this is… I never imagined…" he broke off. He had never imagined that Scorpius could have such a normal childhood.

"I've imagined it," Astoria murmured. "I wanted him to have what you didn't have."

"Hmm."

"Aren't you glad?"

"So glad."


	11. Chapter 11

The year-end pageant was nothing to laugh about. All the students from school converged in the main auditorium where seats were plush, stage was raised and curtains were made of regal purple velvet. To say Scorpius was nervous was an understatement, in fact.

"Harry?" he could barely whisper through his dry throat.

Harry smiled empathetically and knelt down to meet Scorpius' anxious eyes and flushed cheeks. "You'll do fine," the teacher assured his student. "You look fine, buddy. I'll be right here with you."

Scorpius brushed aside the tears that were welling up in his eyes.

Harry clutched Scorpius' hands in his, trying to steady them. "What's the _worst_ that could happen?" he asked. "You might be a bit angry with yourself, a bit embarrassed, and tomorrow will be a brand new day. So, if that's the _worst_ thing that could happen, what's there to be scared of, hmm? We practiced _so_ hard."

"I know," Scorpius sniffed. He knew he was being unreasonable. But he wanted this to be perfect. He knew Mr. Potter had done _everything_ he could to make him perfect.

"I am _very_ proud of you."

"Oh," Scorpius groaned in dismay. Mr. Potter said the darnedest things. He wound his arms around Harry and hugged him. "Thank you."

Harry closed his eyes and squeezed Scorpius tight. "Trust me," he whispered. He felt himself choke up a bit too. "I know _exactly_ what you're going through. I know it's scary. And I am _so_ sorry you're going through it. It's not fun at all… But you're not alone. All your friends are singing with you and Gabrielle will be with me right there in front of you. Push through it, Scorp. Like we practiced, okay?"

"Okay."

When the thick curtains opened to reveal the first event in the program, twenty young children dressed to their nines stood on small risers with their hands clutched in front of their stomachs and their eyes trained on Gabrielle and Harry who were kneeling in front of the stage with expectant smiles. A few secretive flashes went off in the auditorium despite prohibition of photography, but that was easily overlooked. Gabrielle counted them in and started the music with a flick of her wand.

The children's voices rang out in the auditorium, echoing against the walls. Five-year-olds hardly had a sense of timing or volume, but the charming picture of so many little boys and girls singing and, in some cases screaming, their voices away was enough to make all the parents beam. And what was even better than listening to nursery rhymes? Watching the children animatedly use their hands to mime the song word for word. It even made some of the parents laugh.

Scorpius kept his eyes on his teacher. Even though his chest ached from nervousness, it wasn't the same scary feeling as that first time. He actually felt a rush of adrenaline, making him giddy somehow. His voice wasn't loud, but he wasn't mouthing the words either. His gestures weren't wild, but he wasn't being restrictive with his motion. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't crying either. He was concentrating so hard, in fact, that Draco and Astoria could practically see the gears turning in their child's mind. When he glanced at her, she seemed to be close to tears and was beaming from ear to ear.

Harry urged Scorpius on encouragingly whenever their eyes met. The boy always felt his shaky voice calming down when Harry nodded at him like that. He was also glad for his friends standing on either side of him because they remembered all the words and helped him remember when he forgot. The four-minute performance felt like four hours to him, but he did push through like Harry told him to. His hands were cold and his voice was hoarse as they neared the end, but he pressed on with his classmates without faltering. As long as he kept his eyes on his teachers, he wouldn't have to worry at all.

The enormity of all that singing didn't strike him until the applause. His eyes snapped up to the audience and, though he couldn't make out a single face because of the lights above his head, he could hear loud clapping and amused laughter from the crowd.

Then he smiled.

"Oh dear," Astoria mumbled. Draco had a handkerchief ready for her and she snatched it without another word, quickly dabbing her eyes that were overflowing. He had been expecting as much from her.

Scorpius had barely sat down on the bench in the dressing room to get the weight off of his jelly legs when his mother and father walked in, evidently having shirked the rest of the school's performance. Thankfully they weren't the only parents who had slipped out. If they were, Scorpius would have been thoroughly embarrassed. Well, he was embarrassed, nonetheless… But he would have been _more_ embarrassed.

"Sweetheart," Astoria cooed, kneeling down beside Scorpius' chair before he could get up anxiously. "Oh, sweetheart." She hugged him tight. "You are the most wonderful boy."

Scorpius smiled into Astoria's neck. "Not really," he murmured. "Did you like it, Mother?"

"I _loved_ it," she gushed. "You were brilliant. I had eyes for no one else." She pulled back to kiss her son's cheek. Then she handed him the long-stemmed red rose that she had been holding onto. "For you. First time on a big stage, right?"

"Thank you," he said shyly after accepting the flower.

Draco smiled at Harry when the teacher approached them. "Not bad," he said, his head tilted in a magnanimous fashion.

"Not bad?" Harry intoned. "Went pretty great, if you ask me."

"Sure, sure."

He narrowed his eyes at Draco. "Are you suggesting you could do a better job?" he prodded.

"No. Of course not."

He narrowed his eyes still. "I can never tell with you," he said in distrust.

"I'm being civilized, Potter," Draco conceded with raised hands. "I genuinely believe you did a good job."

"Well, thank you, then. I think."

Scorpius flicked his eyes up at his teacher. "Mr. Potter helped me so much," he told Astoria. "He's been so great, Mother."

Harry shrugged it off with a smile when Astoria looked back at him. "Now, now. No need to be modest," she laughed. "If Scorpius said you've been great, then you must have been _really_ great."

"I wasn't the one singing up there," Harry reminded Scorpius, who blushed and looked down at the rose in his hands.

Astoria glanced at Draco for a second, then got up on her feet to sidle towards Harry. "Could I speak with you for a second?" she asked quietly, turning a blind eye to Draco's inquisitive frown.

"Um, sure," Harry said.

Draco sat beside his son while watching Astoria and Harry walk away to a secluded corner of the room, talking amongst themselves. "What are they saying?" Scorpius wanted to know. Draco shook his head. He had a feeling he knew what it was about, but he couldn't be sure. "I know it's nothing bad," Scorpius continued. "Maybe Mother wants to say thank you too, huh?"

"Probably."

In fact, that was exactly what she was doing. Harry didn't do well with gratitude, so he just smiled sheepishly while she articulated her appreciation with a beautiful smile. "He has been doing so much better at home," she said. "Draco's seen the changes and I know he won't tell you himself. Scorpius is a very special boy. I want the best for him."

"Really, it's not just my efforts," Harry tried to say. "Just being in an environment with other children helps him. That's all he needs. He adapts very well to situations."

"He's a lot like his father in that aspect of things," she sighed in defeat. "Those two get on my nerves sometimes because they never tell me what's bothering them, you know?"

"I know." Harry had seen that stubborn streak more than once in Scorpius. "I'd wager Scorpius is a tad bit easier to deal with, though."

"Oh, you'd win that wager, no doubt about it," Astoria scoffed. "And… now that school is almost over, I think Scorpius will be sad to leave your class."

"Hmm."

"He's been talking about Teddy a lot. They're exchanging letters now, I believe."

Harry blushed when he remembered that _first_ letter. "Teddy loves writing letters to his cousins. He was so excited when he got one from Scorpius," he told her. "He's already seemed to have made plans for the summer."

"Draco's told me," she murmured. "I can't thank you enough, Harry. For everything, at school and at home. It's meant the world to Scorpius. He doesn't have anyone else."

Harry exhaled loudly. "That's not true," he tsked. "He picks up on talk like that. He is very empathetic. He takes things to heart when he hears things like that. He's never alone, alright? Not with Teddy and his grandmother around. In fact, I think Teddy's got some of the little Weasleys warming up to Scorp as well. So there's nothing to worry about. He'll have a great summer."

"Weasleys?" Astoria let out a short laugh. "That'd be the day."

"Wouldn't it, though?" Harry grinned.

* * *

He stifled his exasperated sigh and sat quietly with his hands folded on his lap while he listened to rants and raves for an hour. He was at the Burrow for brunch and he should have known something was up. Rumors had been flying around all different branches of the Weasleys through Ron's accounts of Harry's talks and Teddy's weekly letters. They had heard was enough to point incriminating fingers at him and Draco.

Nearly every family member figured it was their moral duty to lecture Harry on the various devious reasons the Malfoys had befriended him. All of them seemed valid and _would_ have convinced Harry. In fact, they _did_ convince Harry. But he didn't really care for the reasons as much as he cared for the results of his actions. So what if he was being used by the Malfoys? As long as Scorpius benefited, he didn't care… He knew that no amount of reasoning would help him get out of this mess, though, so he just listened quietly, nodding and mumbling at the desired pauses while letting his mind wander. He had been expecting this. In fact, he was somewhat surprised that it had taken this long for the Weasleys to intervene in what they saw as a trap. He knew of their animosity towards the Malfoys. On more than one occasion, he found himself wondering whether the reason he was helping Draco was because it was rebellious gesture.

After all the lecturing, he made sure to look sincerely sad and sorry. He knew that they weren't angry with him. They simply seemed to think that he was incapable of taking care of himself. There might be a _bit_ of truth in that statement, but Harry glanced over that. He then told them that he had to continue maintaining a good relationship with the Malfoys because he was Scorpius' family.

Oh, the uproar that statement caused was enormous.

"I'm bringing Scorpius and Teddy over next week," he said over the loud arguments in an attempt to shush them. "He's just a child, so _please_ be nice."

* * *

Draco had his jaw set and his nostrils flared to give off a threatening air as he handed his child over to Harry.

"I'll return him without a scratch," Harry promised.

"Me too!" Teddy chimed in as he threw a casual arm over Scorpius' shoulder.

"You two better," Draco muttered under his breath. He was having immense reservations about sending his son deep into Weasley territory for an entire day. He must have gone insane… He looked down at Scorpius who appeared about as nervous as he did. "Behave," he said sternly. Scorpius nodded more than a few times to show that he understood.

"You can join us, Malfoy," Harry taunted lightly.

"In your dreams," Draco snorted. "I'd rather live. Make sure you bring him back in time for dinner."

A few minutes later, Harry was knocking at the door to the Burrow while Scorpius and Teddy stood behind him. The little boy was looking about in awe at the strange plants half-hidden behind fences. This house was so strange looking, like the ones he read about in his books. It was old and had ivy growing on the outside. The windows were crooked and the walls seemed to sway with the wind.

Victoire threw open the door excitedly. "Teddy!" she crowed as she bounded the last few steps and threw herself at him. Scorpius jumped out of the way just in time because a torrent of children rushed out after her, all of them wanting to hug a piece of Teddy. He was obviously a _very_ popular young man. Harry simply laughed as he ushered Scorpius past the chattering crowd. Inside was a more domestic crowd of adults gathered casually by the foyer to see what all the commotion was about. Most of them were redheads and most of them had a derisive brow arched at the sight of pale Scorpius Malfoy who was hiding behind Harry.

"Scorpius, this is everyone," Harry introduced. "Come on." He tugged the boy away from his leg.

Scorpius swept his eyes across all of them. "Good morning," he said quietly.

Hermione was one of the many who smiled in response. She moved in and knelt down next to Scorpius. "Harry's told me a lot about you, Scorpius," she said.

Scorpius flicked his eyes from Hermione to the baby held against her hip. "Thank you," he responded for the lack of anything else to say.

Hugo blinked at Scorpius once before reaching out with his chubby hand and swatting at the boy's blond hair. Scorpius flinched away in shock, knocking into Harry. He had never really been that close to a baby before. Harry also knelt down next to them. "He likes you," he told the boy. "See? He's smiling." Hugo was grinning, which exposed his four pearly whites, while reaching for Scorpius' hair again. Harry urged Scorpius forward again. "You have to be gentle with him, okay?"

Scorpius nodded dolefully and held still when Hugo rested his hand against his head again. But he wasn't really expecting the baby to grab a handful of his hair and pulled hard. His head jerked down and he hissed in pain. Before Hermione could do more than gasp in dismay, Scorpius had his fingers wrapped around Hugo's wrist. "That hurts," he chided as he managed to get his hair away from Hugo's itching fingers. "You have to be gentle with me too, baby," he said. "No pulling hair, okay?"

Hugo giggled and hid his face against Hermione's neck, like he knew that he had done something mischievous.

"I'm sorry," Hermione apologized as she patted down Scorpius' ruffled hair.

"It's okay," Scorpius said. "He's just a little baby. Babies don't know anything yet, so it's okay."

Harry knew then that Scorpius would have no trouble winning over the Weasleys with his solemn words of wisdom. Hermione was already taken, he could tell. Teddy came up behind them and yanked Scorpius away from the midst of all the adults, spinning him around so the little Weasleys could get a good look at him. "This is my _real_ cousin," he announced proudly. "He might look small but he's pretty smart. Let's play!" He slipped his hand into Scorpius' and tugged him along out the front door and around the side of the house. They were followed by six other children racing so they won't be the last to get to their base near the stone broom shed. If you were last, you were it.

"See?" Harry smirked knowingly at the Weasleys. "He fits right in."

Brunch was ready less than an hour later and all the sweaty, grass-stained children swarmed the large table Arthur had set up outside right by the house. Scorpius still stuck close to Teddy, but he was gravitating towards Lucy and Louis as well, since they were around his age. Teddy, being the mature lad he was, knew that Scorpius would be comfortable if he sat next to Harry, so the young Malfoy found himself wedged between his cousin and his teacher, feeling happy as a peach to be where he was. The food in front of him looked incredible and smelt _delicious_. His stomach rumbled, but it was hardly heard over all the rambunctious chatter going on around him.

From what he had learnt so far, the Weasleys met at least once every two months for such occasions. They celebrated birthdays, anniversaries and promotions as a big family this way. That was why there were at least three cakes spread across the table in addition to pancakes, syrup, fruits and sausages. Scorpius could just barely see over the big bowl of hash browns from where he sat. He let Harry fill up his plate for him, not saying a word even though he knew he would have a tough time finishing everything on that plate.

"How is it?" Harry asked him once they had gotten through a few bites. Scorpius nodded eagerly and hummed. He didn't want to talk with his mouth full, even though a lot of the Weasleys tended to do that a lot from what he could see.

He liked Hermione and Fleur the best so far. They sat opposite him and, if he shifted about while eating, he could watch them talking from around the bowl of potatoes. Hermione had bouncy Hugo on her lap and Fleur, who looked _exactly_ like Gabrielle, held Rose. They weren't as loud as everyone else. They even smiled at him when they caught him staring. He would drop his eyes fast, but then couldn't stop himself from peeking a minute later. Hugo waved at him from time to time, obviously taken by this unusual boy with white hair and grey eyes. Scorpius certainly stood out in contrast to everyone else at the table, from his physical features to the clothes he wore and the way he ate.

Rose wiggled off of Fleur's lap as soon as she got bored and scurried under the table to the other side, peeking up at Harry and Scorpius with an impish grin. The children seemed to do that often – get out of their seats and run around to visit different adults around the table. Rose was one of the few who could fit _under_ the table. Harry helped her out of there and sat her on his lap. She immediately turned to the strange face beside her and said, "Hello."

"Hello," Scorpius answered.

"I'm Rose."

"I'm Scorpius."

Rose wrinkled her nose. She didn't understand that name. "That's silly," she responded. She tilted her head up at Harry. "What's his name?" she asked.

"Scorpius," Harry repeated.

"Scorpius?" she mimicked.

"Exactly."

She burrowed into Harry's lap and looked at Scorpius again. "Hello, Scorpius," she said, rolling that name around against her tongue.

"Hello."

She watched the boy eat stiffly for a moment before leaning towards him. "I like your name," she whispered loudly. "It's pretty."

Scorpius didn't fancy having a _pretty_ name. But he wasn't about to have an argument with this toddler he had just met. "Thank you," he said dutifully. "You have a pretty name as well, Rose. Like a flower."

Rose giggled as Ron rolled his eyes at Harry. "That kid's a heartbreaker," he complained. "I'd keep an eye on him." Harry laughed it off.

After brunch came more games, this time with some adults joining in on the fun. They played Stuck in the Mud and Mother May I with hilarious results of Fred having to twirl on one foot ten times until he toppled over and Angelina waving her arms about wildly at everyone who passed her so she could get 'unstuck' from the mud. Scorpius felt both overwhelmed and delighted to be part of such festivities. He never knew playing with adults could be this much fun. But he had a feeling the Weasleys weren't a regular set of adults.

Teddy's impressions brought about roars of laughter once everyone was inside, trying to escape afternoon spring heat and humidity. Scorpius lounged on the ground beside Hermione, lulled into a sleepy stupor despite holding Hugo on his lap. The baby was half-asleep as well, leaning heavily against his new best friend and sucking his thumb. Scorpius held him tight, just like Hermione and Harry had showed him, but his eyes kept drooping. It was past time for his nap, after all. When two o'clock struck, he was out cold with his head nestled against Hermione's lap and his arms hugging a small cushion close. Many of the other children were the same way. The adults had mismatched mugs in hand filled with lukewarm tea and residues of laughter at their lips. Harry absently patted Scorpius' arm while listening to George's retelling of the fiasco at his shop in Diagon Alley last weekend.

Hermione tipped her head to the side and whispered, "He's a precious boy."

"He is," Harry agreed with a twinge of pride in those words. Scorpius was working so hard at being receptive and warm. He was incredibly impressed by how much the boy had changed since that first day at school. He glanced up when Molly tiptoed towards them to unfurl a thin blanket over Scorpius. "Thank you," he mouthed gratefully. The Weasleys had done such a great job making Scorpius feel at home. Harry was proud of them too.

When Draco let Harry, Scorpius and Teddy into the house, he could tell that they had had one heck of a day. All of them had turned pink from the sun and Scorpius had a dazed grin on his face that most likely wouldn't fade for another day or two. "You had a good time, I take it," Draco said begrudgingly. Some very small part of him had been hoping otherwise.

"I did," Scorpius answered. "I had so much fun, Father. It's not fair how much fun I had. I wish you'd come with us."

"Maybe next time, huh?" Harry pitched in before Draco could say anything.

"Potter," Draco grumbled. This man was putting way too many strange thoughts into his son's head.

Scorpius tugged at Teddy's hand. "I'll show you my playroom. Come on." The boys ran up the stairs.

"Drink?" Draco offered before making his way to the kitchen. Harry followed him in to see what selection was available. This was a day neither of them had seen coming, when they would be having a glass of wine together at the Malfoy Manor. Harry leaned against the counter as he swirled the drink in his cup. Draco put the bottle away before joining him. "How was he?"

Harry laughed tiredly before taking a smooth sip. "He's a Malfoy, alright," he replied, then cast a sly glance at Draco to catch the reaction. Draco barely hid his smile behind his glass. "He charmed them half to death," Harry continued. "What did you expect?"

"I've taught him well," Draco boasted. "A worthy heir."

"No denying it." Harry wrapped his free arm around his aching chest. He was sore from head to toe from all that running and chasing. "Hermione was amazed. I think she was expecting the worst."

"Worst?" Draco appeared affronted.

"Worst is you, of course."

"Oh. That. That's _definitely_ not the worst," he scoffed.

Harry chuckled again. "And I _might_ have returned him with a few scratches," he added. "Thought I'd let you know before you ripped me a new one."

"As long as he isn't too bothered by them," Draco shrugged. "I'm just glad he had a good time."

"Teddy might have spoilt him a bit."

"He can afford to get a bit spoilt, I think."

They exchanged light banter for a while until they had polished off a glass. Draco rarely had an opportunity to speak at such an informal capacity. At work, he was all business. At home, he was with Scorpius. He hadn't been able to converse sarcastically in a while, so he welcomed the company. After delving into the topic in his mind, he realized that Potter wasn't such a bad person to have a repartee with. They were equally hardheaded and thick-skinned. They knew all the right buttons to push and when to ease off. They had been at each other's throat so often that they had gotten comfortable with it. Draco wasn't surprised.

But Harry certainly was. As he tipped the last bit of wine into his mouth, he was _very_ surprised that he had been able to carry out a civil conversation with Malfoy for so long without getting on his nerves. He chalked it up to them getting older, wiser, and all that other stuff that came with passing years. "What's for dinner, then?" he yawned.

"Pasta?"

Harry raised a derisive brow at Draco. "You don't cook."

"I'd hardly call boiling ravioli 'cooking'."

"That's a dig against me, isn't it?"

"Of course. Everything I say is a dig against you."

Harry pulled a face. Draco smiled smugly in retort as he filled a pot with simmering water.


	12. Chapter 12

As nine o'clock rolled by, Teddy and Scorpius were asleep in the playroom inside the makeshift tent they had pitched with chairs, blankets, pillows and stuffed animals, while Harry and Draco chatted downstairs in the living room, full from dinner and post-food contentment. Draco had heard story after story about Scorpius' day with the Weasleys and he was just starting to believe that they hadn't just Obliviated the child to plant false memories.

"He took care of Hugo like a natural," Harry murmured. His head was tilted up and he had been staring at the elaborate ceiling as he spoke. He was now nursing a third drink and, being the lightweight he was, could already feel the dizzying effects. "Hugo is a big kid for his age but Scorp insisted on carrying him around the backyard. He liked being the big brother. I think he's imitating Teddy. It's good. He's learning to nurture."

"Do you always talk like a teacher?" Draco wanted to know.

"Mhm," Harry nodded just to spite Draco. Ice tinkled in his glass as he took another spicy sip. "Does he mind not having his mother around everyday?" he then asked.

Draco glanced at Harry who looked back at him with a genuine expression. "He… Well, he doesn't know any other way, so he doesn't mind. Or… he didn't seem to mind until school. Seeing his friends with their mothers is a bit hard on him, I think." He raised a brow at Harry. "Didn't you have a hard time too?"

"Sore subject," Harry mumbled. He didn't like talking about his childhood. He shirked away from it as much as possible. "It makes him special," he continued. "He appreciates the little things in life. I've noticed."

"He appreciates some things, not others," Draco corrected Harry. "He's entitled."

"You're his father. You're allowed to make him feel entitled."

Draco scoffed. "It's probably why Stori wanted to send him to a public school. Teach him the ways of the world."

"It's working, isn't it?"

"Sore subject," Draco smirked. "She's often a few steps ahead of me."

Harry closed his eyes with a tired sigh. "How come you let her go?" he asked. "She's perfect."

"That's my wife you're talking about," Draco berated lightly.

"Ex-wife."

He let out a disparaging sound from the back of his throat. "I'm an idiot, Potter," he confessed. "I don't know _why_ I let her go. I know she's perfect. It's just… when we're together, we're _far_ from perfect."

"Volatile personalities rarely mesh," Harry said wisely. "But you tried, didn't you?"

"Not really," Draco mumbled. "We pretended for a while. Then we just stopped pretending. She can't stand me, I can't stand her. Trying was too hard. We like the easy way out."

"Even if Scorpius would get stuck in the middle?"

"You can't begin to understand." Draco was starting to feel like he was being backed into a corner.

Harry sensed it and let up on his questions. "Ginny and I weren't like that," he said. "We always tried. We still try sometimes. It's just… maybe we're too comfortable with each other. That can be a problem too, I guess. Finding a middle ground is cumbersome."

"Well, you _have_ known her since before you grew into your scar."

"I know. I'm awkward. She always tells me how I can't take a hint. But, if I'm used to her, how am I supposed to take hints? Should I be spontaneous? Like you? Just get married?"

"Hey," Draco interjected as he rested a hand against Harry to get him to look. "I hate to tell you this, but… you're on the _verge_ of spilling your guts in my living room…"

Harry smiled ruefully. "I figured I'd extend the courtesy," he countered.

Draco rolled his eyes. "I guess teachers can go wild when they're off of school too."

"That's me," Harry chuckled. "Wild."

Draco turned to face Harry fully, ending up with one leg curled under the other. "A proposition for you, Potter," he announced while raising his nearly empty glass.

"I'm not quite drunk enough to hear your propositions, Malfoy."

Draco reached out and made him hold up his glass. Harry complied with a faint smile and a curious frown. Draco cleared his throat and repeated himself. "A proposition for you, Potter."

"I'm listening," Harry nodded. "Go on."

"Kiss me."

Harry nearly dropped his drink in shock, barely catching it before it could slip away from his fingers that slackened for a moment. His eyes were wide and his jaw was open slightly. "I-I-I… Wh-I… Kiss you?" he stammered.

"Unlike you, I _can_ take hints," Draco remarked.

"What are you… What?"

Draco pressed on while ignoring Harry's flabbergasted interruptions. "Now, I know I'm a rather eligible bachelor and an exemplary citizen, as are you. How would you like to proceed?"

"What's going on?" Harry asked quietly. He had just been shocked sober. "What are you doing?"

Draco clinked his glass with Harry's. "Sounds good, Potter," he said with ease. "I wish you the best." Harry inhaled sharply and squeezed his eyes shut as he was kissed with unbridled passion and intensity. He folded under the weight and fell back.

Only to wake up with a jolt and throw off his covers in fright.

He blinked away the sunlight, a hand pressed to his fluttering heart. A dream? A nightmare… The worst nightmare.

"Good morning."

Harry yelped and promptly fell off the couch. His wild eyes landed on Draco who was standing behind the back of the sofa with a mug of steaming coffee in hand. "Um," Malfoy hesitated. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"You didn't startle me," Harry squeaked as he jumped up onto his feet. He was soon struck with a bad case of vertigo, making him sit down heavily onto the sofa again. He groaned in dismay. His head pounded and everything was starting to ache. "What happened?" he asked.

"I bored you half to death, apparently," Draco drawled. "Here." He held the coffee out over Harry's shoulder, who took it gratefully. "Kids aren't awake yet. Do you want some breakfast?"

Harry sipped on the hot beverage with relish. He had fallen asleep. He didn't even remember it. Now he was embarrassed for two reasons. "Sorry about yesterday," he apologized.

"Moderation is key," Draco advised as he walked away to the kitchen.

"Did you tuck me in?"

"Shut up, Potter."

Harry struggled to his feet again, this time with care. He held his cup close, treasuring it as he shuffled after Draco. The Manor looked so different in day. With the curtains drawn, there wasn't a need for artificial lights. It was organically lit, making everything glow white. The shimmering chandeliers cast dancing rainbows on the walls. Harry paused at the foyer to look up. It really was beautiful in there.

Draco was setting out bowls, cereal and milk on the table when Harry dragged himself in. He looked worse for wear. His hair stuck up every which way, his eyes were red and puffy, and his stubble made him actually look his age instead of five years younger. "Shouldn't you freshen up or something?" Draco asked in mild disgust.

"I'm hungry," Harry said instead. He flopped down onto the chair and dragged a bowl forward.

Meanwhile, Scorpius was just _pretending_ to sleep.

He didn't want to wake up before Teddy. They had been telling silly stories all night long. Or rather, Teddy was telling silly stories about school while Scorpius listened eagerly. They had fallen asleep that way. Scorpius had never slept in a tent before, so it was a lot of fun. Teddy had set his wand above their heads to provide soft light that wasn't too bright. The tent was plush because the ground was covered with a mesh of pillows, blankets and sheets. It was the most fun sleep Scorpius had ever had.

He would wake up at night when Teddy elbowed or kicked him. But that was okay. Sometimes he awoke because Teddy was pulling him into a tight hug while muttering nonsense. He didn't mind that either. This was his first sleepover ever. He huddled close to Teddy for warmth all through the night.

Now that it was morning, he had woken up before Teddy. So he had been pretending to sleep for nearly an hour. _Then_ Teddy stirred angrily, as though he didn't want to wake up yet. He could barely flutter his eyes open.

As soon as he saw Scorpius staring up at him adoringly, he smiled. "Good morning," he whispered, taking care not to overpower the little boy with his morning breath.

"Mhm," Scorpius mumbled as he quickly dropped his gaze, suddenly feeling shy.

Teddy stretched his arms above his head for a few seconds before sitting up with a groan. He had to hunch over a bit to keep the tent intact. Otherwise his head would lift the whole thing off. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Did you sleep okay, Scorp?" he yawned.

"I did," Scorpius responded eagerly. He sat up as well and wiped the side of his mouth before smacking his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

Teddy looked over his shoulder at Scorpius with a tired smile. "I probably kicked you a lot, huh?" he murmured. He knew he was an excitable sleeper. Andy and Harry had made no secret of it. In fact, he even sleepwalked at least once a month. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

Scorpius didn't know what to say. He was feeling too embarrassed. He rocked forward and hid his face against Teddy's back instead while whining something incoherent. What he _really_ wanted to say was that he had a good time and that he wanted to have more sleepovers.

"Alright, alright," Teddy laughed as Scorpius' voice carried into his spine and made him tickle. He pulled the boy away and tugged him so they were seated side by side. "I had fun too," he winked. "And now I'm hungry."

Harry was halfway through his second bowl of cereal when the two boys came in with damp hair and freshly brushed teeth. They sat opposite Harry and set about shoveling breakfast into their mouths as well, paying no heed to Draco who was constantly clearing his throat and pulling faces at the lack of manners. Only after he had taken a bite of his dry cereal did Scorpius' brows arch in wonder as he stared at Mr. Potter. "Did _you_ sleep over too?" he asked in disbelief.

"I couldn't very well just leave Teddy here, could I?" Harry answered.

"You could," Teddy retorted. "It's called a sleepover for that very reason, Harry."

"Yeah, yeah," his godfather grumbled. "I fell asleep on the couch. No big deal." And had a really strange dream. No big deal. He quickly cast out that thought from his mind. He had had a long day and the last person he had spoken to before falling asleep was Draco, so it was quite probable to dream about him, even though the dream was disgusting.

"Potter."

Harry blinked once and focused in on Draco staring at him in derision. "Huh?" he asked.

"Quit looking at me like that."

He quickly dropped his eyes to his food.

From that day on, he actively avoided contact with Draco, limiting their interactions to no more than a few minutes at a time. They said hello at the door when Scorpius came over and they said goodbye when the boy left. They didn't have another meal together for weeks and he didn't even step inside the Manor when he dropped Teddy off.

He wondered if the Weasleys had been right in asking him to avoid the Malfoys. He felt uncomfortable when he stood next to Draco as heat worked its way up his collar and into his cheeks. He was hoping against hope that Draco wouldn't discover that dream _somehow_. He was being paranoid about it, in fact.

"Did you fight with Mr. Potter again?" Scorpius finally asked after watching Harry duck inside his home without even looking at Draco properly.

Draco hadn't noticed anything was wrong. "Um… Why do you ask?" he inquired as he pulled his son down the street. "Did he say something?"

"He hasn't said _anything_," Scorpius thought aloud. "He's being weird. Don't you think he's weird?"

"I've _always_ thought he was weird. I'm glad you see it now."

Scorpius narrowed his eyes to throw an unimpressed glare his father's way. "Well, he just looks like he did when you two _were_ fighting that one time," he muttered. "I'm just saying."

Scorpius was just saying, but Draco was beginning to notice too. He couldn't tell _exactly_ what was amiss, but he saw that Harry was not quite talking to him anymore. That was fine by him, of course. He didn't really see a need to socialize excessively with Potter. Summer passed in that fashion, however, with the two barely seeing each other despite briefly visiting each other's houses at least twice a week.

Fed up with it all, Scorpius even resorted to asking Harry if something was wrong.

Harry responded with a flippant wave of his hand and an incoherent mumble.

He didn't have much to say to Scorpius because he had no idea what was happening himself.

He was learning first hand that absence makes the heart grow fonder… Just like that time with Ginny in Sixth Year…

"Mr. Potter!"

Harry turned to meet Scorpius who had just finished his first day at 'real' school. "Hey, buddy," he beamed. "How was it?"

"It was good," Scorpius said eagerly. "I had to buy notebooks!"

"Well, you _are_ in grown-up classes now. It's only fair that you keep notebooks of your own."

"I'm going to keep them neat and tidy. Father says that's the way books need to be treated."

"Mhm," Harry nodded while barely hiding a smile. The way he kept his books would abhor Scorpius, he just knew it. He had no regard for them… "What did you learn today?"

"Nothing really," the boy shrugged. "We just started. Maybe we'll learn more things tomorrow, right?"

"Of course."

Scorpius' gaze slipped from Harry for a moment just as a soft cough sounded behind the teacher. He turned to find Draco. "Potter," the suited man said curtly.

"Malfoy," Harry mumbled as his heart faltered traitorously. He moved to step back, but he nearly bumped into children who were streaming on either side of him, eager to get home. Being stuck this close to Malfoy was not fun in the least.

"How was school, Scorpius?" Draco asked his son who was already sliding his fingers into his father's hand.

"Good," Scorpius said shyly. "It was fine. I'm going to read lots of books and do lots of numbers this year. I'll get so much smarter."

"Oh, I know," Draco agreed. "Made any new friends?"

Scorpius scuffed his shoe on the ground before shaking his head. "I like my old ones, Father. I don't need new friends," he said.

"Sure, you don't," Draco sighed. Then he hazarded a glance at Harry who was standing moot with a closed expression on his face. "Hey, Scorpius? I need to speak with Mr. Potter for a second. Meet you by the swings?"

"Yeah!" Scorpius ran off without another word, leaving Harry and Draco to themselves in a hallway teeming with kids.

Draco didn't really know _what_ he wanted to ask Harry. He just wanted to make sure they were still on talking terms, that's all. This wasn't the first time he had acquaintances and friends alienate themselves from him. In fact, that had happened so many times that Draco _expected_ things to go south. He just wanted to know the reason for it. He wanted to make sure Scorpius wasn't going to be affected. "Haven't seen you in some time," he started to say, feeling a bit silly once those words left his mouth.

"Been busy with prep work," Harry answered. He had a feeling his thoughts were written plainly on his face even though Draco could read nothing in reality. He just wanted to get back into his empty classroom as soon as possible. "How's work?"

"Keeps me busy as well," Draco said. He wasn't used to being this forward with anyone. In most cases, he could care less if someone decided to distance themselves from him. Unfortunately, Potter wasn't most cases. "Scorpius was wondering if something was wrong with you," he eventually said, skewing his words to still serve his purpose.

"What could be wrong?"

"I'm asking you."

"Nothing. Why would anything be wrong?"

"You're getting defensive…"

Harry let out a slow breath of air to calm his frayed nerves. "Nothing is wrong, Malfoy," he then said calmly. "I'm just stressed from work. And I need to finish up in my classroom, so… I'll see you later, okay?"

Before Draco could get a word in edgewise, Harry turned around and hurried to the end of the hall where he hid behind the door to his class.

He leaned against the table and closed his eyes while taking deep breaths. He was being unreasonably adolescent. He needed to shake it away. He shook his head in an attempt to get rid of his thoughts.

Maybe he was just _so incredibly _frustrated with his life that it was manifesting as a fatal attraction. He needed to ride the wave until he was comfortable with Malfoy again and any physical pull had diminished over time. That's what happened with Cho and Ginny. It was bound to happen in due course with Malfoy.

He was grabbed by the arm and spun around so the back of his legs was pressed to the table and he had to look up to gape at Draco who was suddenly standing much too close to him.

It was his cologne. Harry could smell it distinctly. It was subtle, but he could distinguish it from everything else. He was so used to smelling fruits, crayons and bubblegum that even the slightest hint of sophistication was incredibly alluring.

"We seem to be having a problem again, Potter," Draco sighed. He had thought that they were over it. "You need to tell me what I did wrong."

Harry was having a difficult time now. He flicked his eyes away, but then realized how that would be like accepting defeat, so he looked back up at Draco. His mouth was parted and he snapped it shut, but then realized that he was required to speak, so he opened his mouth again. And all the while, he was growing dizzy with heady anticipation and confusion. "What problem?" he managed to ask calmly while telepathically urging Draco to step away unless he wanted to get hurt with a fist.

Draco flicked his eyes over Harry's face, trying to read it. When he saw nothing but exasperation and clouded turmoil, he wondered if he had read too much into the situation.

But then he realized that Harry hadn't quite retaliated yet. Instead, he had let out a strangled breath and his pupils were dilated.

"Huh. You find me attractive."

Harry felt as though he had been socked in the gut. His jaw dropped, slacked and in disbelief. Draco stepped back while crossing his arms against his chest with an accomplished smirk on his lips. Harry couldn't even deny it. His whole world was about to be turned upside down and he couldn't get any words out. The silence was stretching on and on. He didn't want to imagine the looks on his friends' faces when they found out. That was when raging anger flooded inside him. Why was Malfoy so dead-set on ruining things for him?

"I am _so_ flattered."

"What are you going to do?" Harry asked in turn.

Draco blinked twice as he tried to figure out what Harry was going on about. He had no real intention of doing anything other than what he had just done. He wasn't quite sure why he had done that, even. But it was rather interesting to see Potter in such a flustered situation. "Want me to tell?" he taunted.

Harry had to stop himself from blurting out a torrent of negations by biting down on his tongue. Oh, sure. _Now_ his tongue would cooperate. His mind was racing through scenarios depicting Hermione's disappointment and angry letters from people he had never met. He quickly looked away when he realized that he was going to have a panic attack. He turned towards the table and swallowed hard to push down the lump that was growing in his throat. "Do whatever you want," he managed to say.

"Alright."

His heart sank when he heard Draco leave the classroom. He clenched his hands into fists while trying to keep a level head. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe Ron would get off of his case after punching him a few times. Maybe George and Charlie will lessen their taunting laughter by a few decibels when he met them next time. Maybe the Prophet won't _completely_ slander his reputation.

"Shit," he mumbled as he pulled his hands back and sank to the floor on his haunches, hiding his face against his knees. This was not the right time to lose his wits. He took deep breaths to keep calm. He didn't even _feel_ anything for Malfoy! He was being so stupid and now Malfoy was being bloody stupid too!

He was startled when a dull clatter sounded near him. He quickly tried to make himself presentable while mumbling something about feeling sick. But before he could get the lame excuse out of the way, he found himself looking at Malfoy who was kneeling in front of him. Flicking his eyes to the left, he saw crayons scattered on the floor.

"I'm just helping you pick those up," Draco murmured as he cupped Harry's cheeks and kissed him.

Harry fell backwards in astonishment. His eyes clenched shut a moment later, followed by a slow and shaky breath. He hadn't been kissed in an incredibly long time. His mind grew foggy and he lay on the rug with his arms splayed to the sides, feeling radiating warmth washing over him from Draco's body that was pressed close. He shivered when fingers moved from his cheeks to his neck and down to his shoulders where they gripped his shirt. Draco kissed slowly so as to not overwhelm Harry. The touch wasn't jeering or forceful. It was just a very experienced lip lock.

Harry opened his eyes when Draco pulled back. They stared at each other for a minute, after which Harry returned to his senses and sat up while attempting to compose himself.

"So, Potter," Draco continued conversationally. "Something inherently wrong with finding me attractive?"

Harry looked away.

"Is that why you were crying?"

"I wasn't crying."

Draco scanned Harry's face for a few moments while absently sorting out the scattered thoughts in his head. The man obviously had some identity issues, which was hard to imagine because this was _the_ Harry Potter. But even washed-up celebrities have their insecurities, Draco supposed. He wasn't used to seeing this side of Potter. He could tell now why Scorpius found Harry rather… endearing. He suppressed a shudder. Endearing and Potter never quite worked before. "You've never been with a man, have you?"

"What do you want?" Harry finally asked as he reached out and pushed Draco away with a weak nudge. Then he started gathering up the crayons.

"Do you think differently of me now?"

Harry paused as more puzzlement was added to his already troubled mind. "Yes," he answered after a fashion of time.

"And you don't want people to do the same to you?"

"Stop," he said under his breath. "You aren't being fair."

Draco got up on his feet with a smile on his lips when he heard the weak protest. "I won't tell."

Harry cringed when he was needlessly reminded again that Draco Malfoy had just kissed him.

"I'll see you later, Potter," Draco told Harry as he walked away.

"Hey, help me pick these up!" Harry exclaimed while gesturing at the crayons that littered the floor.

"I already helped, remember?" Draco smirked.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Ahaha, I strung you guys along for long enough with twelve chapters, huh? Thanks for being patient and so incredibly supportive! I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I had written that kiss four different ways before I landed on that one. This one's a short chapter, but I'm trying to push the ball along. Bear with me!

* * *

Draco didn't try to suppress his smile when he opened the door to Harry who appeared _very_ put off. He stepped back to let his guest through.

"I am very angry with you," Harry said carefully while avoiding eye contact.

"I gathered as much." Draco ushered Harry through to the living room. Once they were seated, he asked Harry to continue.

"First thing I'd like to say is that I do _not_ find you attractive," Harry mumbled with an affected sniff. "You have a _very_ unattractive personality."

"Good start."

"And I don't want you to try and prove a point ever again."

"Ah," Draco nodded gravely. "So I _did_ manage to prove a point, then."

Harry glared at him. "I'm just going through some personal problems and I don't want you to get involved, that's all," he muttered.

"See, it's difficult for me _not_ to get involved," Draco egged on. It was fun to watch Harry squirm like this. "You've got Scorpius all worried."

"I'll try to be normal again," Harry avowed.

Draco sat back while rubbing his nose with his fist so Harry couldn't see his widening smile. "You may not realize what you're saying, Potter," he drawled, "but it is _very_ insulting to me."

Harry blinked rapidly, then frowned in confusion. "Insulting?" he echoed.

"You're making me sound like an abomination…"

"Well… I didn't mean it like that." He seemed sincere enough. "It's too creepy."

"That you find me attractive?"

"Yes." He still held his head up, nose upturned and refusing to apologize for anything. He hadn't done anything wrong. He couldn't help all those pheromones acting on his depraved system. Definitely _not_ his fault. "I only meant it a little."

"Only a little?" Draco clarified.

"Mhm."

"You only meant it… a little?"

"Mhm."

"You only meant to insult me… a little?"

"Mhm."

"Wh-Potter!"

"I'm being honest!" Harry blurted out. He raised his hands in distress. "I just can't help insulting you!"

"You are a piece of work, you know that?" Draco snipped.

"So are you! You keep provoking me! You keep doing things that make me want to insult you!"

"Don't turn this on me!"

"Then you shouldn't have played out your little fantasy and snogged me."

Draco gritted his teeth. "I hate to burst your bubble, but a kiss doesn't mean anything," he growled. "So get over yourself."

Harry's jaw dropped in shock. "It doesn't-_What_? Of _course_ it means something!"

"What does it mean?"

He was struck dumb.

Draco nodded smugly. "That's what I thought," he said. "_That's_ the point I was trying to make. A kiss doesn't mean anything. It's just an action, like a handshake or a pat on the back. Just a ritual."

Harry didn't think so. To him, a kiss was something shared in private and an intimate gesture. Evidently his ideals were vastly different from Draco's. He tried to understand. "So… when you kissed me… it was nothing?" he faltered.

"Did you _feel_ anything?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably. He _had_ felt something, but he wasn't sure what it was. "I don't know…"

Draco rubbed the back of his neck. Potter really was being a pain. "How many relationships have you been in?" he asked. "Just with Weasley?"

"Hmm."

"You're way too traditional."

"Traditional?"

"Inexperienced. Young. Behind times. It's embarrassing."

Harry was affronted. "Now _you're_ being insulting. I have values. I maintain them."

"How's that working out for you?"

"It's not worked out too well for you either."

They glowered at each other for a good minute.

Scorpius plodded in with wet hair and damp pajamas, curious to see who his father's visitor was. He paused by the entryway when he saw the two men having a staring contest. After shaking his head at them silently, he plodded out of there, figuring he should just leave them alone to their devices. They were destined to never get along.

"The way I see it," Draco continued after taking a seething breath, "you've got three options."

"And what might those be?"

"One, you keep avoiding me. That would play out poorly for Scorpius and Teddy's sake. They already know something is up. You'll only be digging yourself into a hole if you keep this up."

Harry didn't like that option and he wrinkled his nose as a response.

"Two, we both forget this ever happened. I will _try_ to excuse your lack of tact and the fact that you are too bloody stubborn to get over this. And you need to try to control your adolescent instincts when you're around me because you are becoming _very_ distracting."

Harry looked as though he had bitten into a sour and bitter lemon by the way his face was pinched.

"And three…"

Harry waited for Draco to say the third option.

Draco tilted his head knowingly.

"Oh, fuck you!" Harry gasped as he shot up to his feet. "This is _not_ time for jokes! You know what, Malfoy? Just go to hell!"

"There you go regressing into a seventeen-year-old kid again," Draco called after Harry who had already stomped out of the living room. He heard loud shuffling and thuds as Harry shoved on his shoes, most likely stomping all over the foyer to get rid of his frustration. It was way too easy to mess with Potter's head when he took everything so personally.

Harry was just about to yank the door open when it was pushed shut from above. He spun around to deliver another sharp tongue lashing at Draco, who rested his hand on the door to hold it closed and hadn't stopped smiling. Before Harry could snarl, Draco interrupted him. "And what joke were you referring to?"

Harry's hand disappeared into his pocket in a flash, but Draco was faster. He collapsed his arm and leaned in boldly, causing the cornered man to freeze in shock. They hardly breathed for a moment, Draco hungrily taking in Harry's expression with relish, knowing he held a _lot_ of power in his hands at that moment, and Harry trying to control his anger and stop his instincts from taking over wholly. His fingers were wrapped around his wand, after all. One twitch and he would be picking up pieces of Malfoy off the wall so they could hold a closed-casket funeral. "I really do find you repulsive, Malfoy," he growled instead. He breathed out hard to expel some of his rage.

"Feeling's mutual," Draco murmured. He pushed off and stepped back with a quiet chuckle.

Harry spun around and flung the door open, disappearing before he took more than two steps out the threshold. Draco, in the meantime, was feeling rather energized. He hadn't toyed with someone in a long time. He was starting to get a bit rusty.

And he wasn't above using his son.

* * *

"Father asked if you wanted to come over for dinner," Scorpius invited graciously, his hands clasped in front of his round belly and his silver eyes shining, so full of expectation.

Harry once against contemplated murder as he said, "I'm afraid I can't tonight, Scorp," for the third time in five days.

"Okay. I'll tell him."

Harry nearly destroyed the quill he was holding as he watched Scorpius walk away. Draco was up to no good and it was disgusting how he used his child like that. It's like he _knew_ how much it stung Harry to let a poor boy down.

Every evening, Harry felt Draco's mocking eyes on him, which made him flush angrily. He never met the man's stare because he didn't know what to do after. He hated that Draco had a hand over him, practically controlling him like a puppet. _Malfoy_, of all people. Harry tried dissecting his feelings, but every time he attempted to do so, he was overcome with revulsion. _Malfoy_? What the _hell_ was he thinking? Firstly, Harry had _never_ been attracted to a man. He appreciated attractive men, just like he was impressed by beautiful women, but _never_ had he felt his stomach clench or his hands sweat around anyone but Ginny. He wondered if the reason for that behavior was because he had been resigned to the fact that no one but Ginny would be willing to put up with him. He had always thought that Ginny was his one and only, so it was only natural that he felt flustered when he was near her, fumbling through kisses.

So, did that mean that… he though he had a shot with Malfoy?

"You were right, Ron." Harry had been furiously muttering over and over again for a long while. Ron had stopped listening many minutes ago, tending to his son instead who was putting up a fuss with his food. "I should've listened to you."

"It's what I keep saying," Ron murmured as he wiped up Hugo's chin. "What does Malfoy want, then?"

Harry couldn't say. Well, he _could_ say, but he wouldn't. He remained tightlipped because he knew the reason for Draco's sudden impudence was his own lack of control. But that was good. Malfoy bugging him like this would only help his cause of finding the man abhorrent once again. Maybe if Draco kept trying so hard to make him mad, Harry would go back to being normal and hating that bastard.

"He just likes to rattle your chains," Ron absently said. He had _no_ idea how true that statement was. Harry was also miffed that Malfoy could 'rattle his chains' with such ease. He shouldn't be the one hiding. If anything, Draco was the one who should be ashamed. Harry seethed when he was reminded on how that man had gloated at their last meeting.

"That's it," he growled resolutely. Two could play at that game.

"Father asked if you wanted to come over for dinner tonight." Scorpius was getting really tired of asking this question and getting the same vague answer. He already knew what Mr. Potter was going to say. He was even half-turned towards the exit.

"Sure."

"Huh?"

"I'll see you tonight," Harry clarified.

"Really?"

"Mhm."

He smiled big. "Okay! At seven?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Draco was quite surprised when his son relayed that message. "He said that?" he hummed thoughtfully. "That's strange."

"Why?" Scorpius asked, his eyes narrowing into thin slits. Whenever his father pondered like that, there was going to be trouble. "Father…" he berated.

"What? I didn't do anything yet."

"Yet?" Scorpius squawked, his arms flapping about. He was worried now.

At seven, he opened the door to Mr. Potter, who had brought dessert. He was going to keep an eye on both adults all night long. After leading Mr. Potter into the kitchen, he threw a glare at his father who pretended not to see. The conversation that ensued felt cordial enough.

"Hello, Potter."

"Hmm."

"Thanks for this."

"You're welcome."

"How's work?"

"Fine. Yours?"

"Fine… Would you like some wine?"

"No."

"Oh? Can't stomach it nowadays?"

"I'd prefer to keep my inhibitions in place, Malfoy. For your own sake, of course."

"I see."

Scorpius flicked his narrowed eyes from one man to the next, trying to figure out what they were talking about. His father had that mean smirk in place while his teacher looked uncaring and calm. Cordial was the only word to describe their exchange. Scorpius hung around them until dinner was ready. Then he ushered them into the dining room. Over the food, Mr. Potter talked to him the most, asking him about school and the things he had learned. He didn't mind answering the questions. Draco didn't speak at all. He seemed fine just listening to them converse. Scorpius asked Harry how his new class was going and that set him off on another long flurry of anecdotes.

After finishing up a delicious bowl of brownies and ice cream, Scorpius was satisfied with the way his father had conducted himself. He was impressed enough to allow the two men to be in a room alone. He tugged at Draco's trousers after putting away his dish on the counter. Draco jerked his brows questioningly. "I'm going upstairs," his son announced.

"Alright," Draco acknowledged. "We'll wash up."

Scorpius tilted his head, as though to say, 'behave'. Then he hopped out of the kitchen.

Harry didn't look up from the dishes that were soaking in soapy water when Draco sidled up next to him, drying the clean plates and utensils. Neither of them spoke. Harry had to consciously try to relax, and that included forcing his pulse to even out. He pretended not to notice Draco flicking his eyes to the left to glance at him every once in a while. He pretended not to notice when their fingers touched as they cleaned everything. It was _really_ hard, but he was working through it successfully. As he neared the end, he mentally patted himself on the back. This was no big deal after all.

"I'm sorry."

Harry looked up sharply. Draco was leaning his back against the sink, his arms crossed against his chest and his eyes downturned so he wouldn't be directing his amusement at Harry. All night he could tell how hard Harry was trying and it was both sweet and laughable. Draco didn't dare laugh in Harry's face, of course. "I meant it when I said I wouldn't tell anyone. Didn't you believe me?"

Harry didn't really understand what was going on. "Pardon?" he hesitated.

Draco shook his head and smiled. "I'm just messing with you, Potter. You're acting like you don't know how to handle a crush," he said.

Harry let his hands drop into the soapy water with a soft splash. "Well, I obviously _don't_," he grumbled. "I already told you that."

"No, you _didn't_," Draco stressed, turning his head to look at Harry. "You were acting like you didn't know how to handle _me_."

Harry gritted his teeth and glared at the water. "Same difference right now," he muttered under his breath.

"Really?"

"Mhm."

Draco reached out and tugged at the sleeve of Harry's shirt, pulling him. Harry didn't resist. Now standing close enough to distinguish each dark lash on Harry's downturned eyes, Draco kissed him. This time he was gentle and soft. Their lips melded together for a moment, then separated. When he opened his eyes, Harry looked much the same except for those red cheeks. "Alright?" he asked

Harry quickly stepped back while nodding. He went back to mechanically washing the forks.

Draco's smile widened as he glanced away. "I like option three," he remarked.

Harry cupped his hands and threw dirty water at Draco irritably, feeling a bit better after hearing him sputter and curse. Things were spinning out of control but at least he could find some solace in petty revenge…


	14. Chapter 14

"I don't think you _really_ understand what's happening here," Harry said as he threw a damp dishcloth at Draco so he could dry off. "I'm not allowed to be seen with someone like you."

"I know that," Draco scowled. He wiped the soapy water off his face and neck. "That's no reason to be so juvenile."

"So it's best if this goes no further."

"Because you're ashamed of me?"

Harry sighed in exasperation.

Draco was used to that sentiment. "It's okay, Potter. I know. It's one of the reasons Stori got fed up. I-"

"I'm not _ashamed_ of you," Harry interjected rudely. Now he was scowling as well. "If I were ashamed of you, I wouldn't be here." He finished up with the last of the spoons and then drained the sink before flicking everything away into the appropriate drawers. "It's other people I'm worried about."

"Oh."

"It's Scorpius and Teddy I'm worried about."

"Why?"

"They'll be the first ones to get hurt, right?"

"Why would they get hurt?"

Harry shoved his hands into his pockets, looking a bit troubled. "Because… it's weird. Everyone will tell them it's weird," he mumbled.

"I'm not planning on snogging you in public," Draco snorted. "I know _all_ about discretion, Potter. Trust me."

"There's the problem." Harry shifted his weight uncomfortably. "My life's not… exactly discrete."

"Hmm."

"If you hang around me more than you already are, it's only a matter of time before your life gets a bit wonky too."

Draco threw the dishcloth onto the counter and pushed off with a loud sigh. He said something about checking up on Scorpius before leaving the kitchen. Harry was glad for that. He still needed to wrap his brain around what he was suggesting to Draco. He was considering a relationship. He could already feel himself sweating. How was it even possible to have a relationship with a man like Draco? How did it _work_?

With Ginny, everything had come naturally because she led the way. She knew what worked and what didn't. She knew Harry hated spontaneity, so there were rarely any surprises. She knew he didn't like anything rough, so she was gentle with him. She knew he didn't like drama, so they rarely fought. They had settled into a very comfortable relationship. A relationship with Malfoy was bound to be anything but. Not to mention the fact that Ginny was a choice that everyone approved of. She was successful, funny, kind, beautiful, and intelligent. If so, then why did Harry feel the same way about her as he did Draco? That was a mystery unto itself. How was it possible for him to see past Malfoy's caustic presence and unhappy frowns?

He knew it had _everything_ to do with Scorpius.

Seeing the young boy's silent devotion for his father made Harry want to see what Scorpius saw. He wanted to know why Scorpius was so attached to Draco. Why did Scorpius cry for Draco at night? Why did they smile so much in each other's company? How could they be so happy when their lives were far from perfect, at least in Harry's eyes? He wanted to understand all that. He wanted to know how different Draco was now compared to a decade ago.

"Are you serious?"

Harry looked up and tilted his head inquisitively at Draco, who had appeared at the doorway again.

"Are you being serious?" Draco asked again.

"Mhm. Aren't you?"

"I don't think I'm taking this as seriously as you are."

"I see."

Draco paused for a second before beckoning Harry to follow him into the living room where they could sit and talk. Once they were situated on the couch, he continued. "You said you'd never been with anyone but Weasley. So you're frustrated, understandably. Maybe it's manifesting as… this?"

Harry smiled finally before leaning against the back of the couch and slouching. "You aren't getting out of this one, Malfoy," he mumbled. He cast a sly sideways look at Draco.

"Hmm?"

He picked at the pills on the cushions so he wouldn't have to maintain eye contact with Draco. "This isn't some… experiment," he said. "I'm not so insecure that I need to experiment with you. I know what I want. I think I know why I want it too. Now I just need to figure out how I'm going to get it without messing things up too royally."

Draco was thoroughly confused. "I don't understand," he murmured.

"I'm not allowed to be seen with you."

"I know."

"But I'd like to try."

"Try?"

Harry looked up at Draco. "Why are you being so daft?" he asked.

"I'm not!" Draco blustered. "I don't know what you're going on about."

"I'm saying 'alright'. Do you understand that?"

"Alright?"

"To option three."

"Oh."

"What 'oh'?"

"You want to have an affair with me," Draco concluded.

"Yeah."

They stared at each other for a long while, trying to figure out if the other was going to break. When neither of them did, they looked away so they could sort out their thoughts and regain their composure.

Draco was baffled for obvious reasons. Why would _anyone_ find him attractive? He had been surprised enough that Astoria wanted to marry him. Now Potter wanted an affair? Firstly, he was an ex-Death Eater. Second, he was a Malfoy. Third, his parents had done a number on his trust and emotions, rendering him cynical and sour. And lastly, he had a child. Maybe Potter was a glutton for punishment. Maybe it was time to re-evaluate himself. He had been ready for a light fling, but nothing this involved. From the looks of it, Harry had given this a lot of thought. He hadn't yet. He hadn't thought that Harry was being _that_ serious.

"Why me?" he asked Harry. This couldn't possibly be anything more than physical attraction. He was, by no means, a homely man. But, judging the words Harry had used, it wasn't _just_ physical attraction. "You told me I had an unattractive personality."

"Well, you do."

"So… What?"

Harry shrugged. He didn't know what. "Maybe I like your unattractive personality too," he grumbled. Just his luck.

"You like me?" Draco asked incredulously.

"I didn't say that."

"You just did."

Harry huffed. "Well, I wouldn't be suggesting this arrangement if I didn't like you, would I?" he snarked. "No need to gloat."

"I'm not gloating… I'm just _really_ confused, Harry."

"Rule number one, you can't tell anyone. Not yet. Not until we're sure this is working. Rule number two, you've got to start giving me the benefit of the doubt instead of jumping at my throat every time I suggest something. I'll try to do the same with you. Rule number three, you can't kiss me anymore. _I'll_ kiss _you_. You have no idea how emasculating this is already. Rule number four, if, at any point in this affair, one of us starts feeling uncomfortable, we're ending it."

Draco chuckled helplessly. "Merlin, you don't waste time, do you?" he exclaimed.

Harry glowered at Draco. "Just get on with it," he muttered.

"Get on with what?"

He threw his hands up. "I don't know! Just do whatever you're supposed to do when you have an affair. I've never had one."

"Sex?"

Harry blanched. "Anything else?"

Draco laughed again. "Just talk, then?" he offered.

"Sure. How was work?"

"That's what you ask your wife at dinner."

"Okay… Er, how's… Scorpius?"

Draco snorted in derision. "Never mind with the talk then," he said under his breath. "Kiss me."

Harry pulled a face. "Ugh. No."

"What?"

"It's gross."

Draco jerked him into an impatient kiss. Harry was beginning to understand that Draco had a whole slew of kisses in his arsenal, one for each emotion he was feeling at the moment. This one was grumpy.

That's fine.

Draco opened his eyes when he felt Harry soften up, not exactly participating but not resisting either. They shifted in unison, moving their legs so they could be in a more favorable position. Draco shut his eyes again as he inhaled slowly. He had to figure Harry out now. He moved his hands to cup Harry's cheeks. He felt Harry relax his lips and part them a bit. Sliding a hand into his black hair, Draco tilted his head, deepening the touch. Harry clamped up immediately. Obviously no tongue. Okay. Draco let his other hand travel down, smiling when he elicited a shiver as his fingers weaved patterns. He could feel both their pulses against the kiss. He breathed out and coaxed Harry into parting his lips again. He moved his hand down further until it paused at Harry's hip. There, he wound an arm around his waist, pulling him close.

When his cold hand absently grazed against warm skin, a soft gasp passed between them.

This time both their eyes shot open. They stopped kissing for a moment, trying to figure out which one of them had gasped. Draco carefully moved his fingers to splay his hand against Harry's back. Harry groaned in defeat and his eyes fell shut on their own accord. Draco wanted to groan with him, but he checked himself. He crept his hand up instead, feeling all of Harry, who was melting into him. At that point, he could simply bear down on Harry and push him onto the couch cushions without meeting any complaints. That thought was exhilarating…

They pulled apart before anything more devastating could happen. They ogled each other as they caught their breaths. They were dizzy and flushed. Draco reached up to pat down tufts of hair of Harry's head that looked a bit more disastrous than usual. He must have been a bit too enthusiastic with it. "Harry?" he murmured.

"Hmm?" Harry pursed his lips together and looked away, sitting very still so Draco could do what he wanted.

"Did you just get hard?"

Scorpius jumped when he heard a loud crash downstairs. That was followed by angry footsteps that traveled up the stairs, down his hallway and towards his playroom. He arched both brows when Harry stomped in with a scowl set firmly on his face. "You fought with Father again?" he asked with a tired sigh.

"No," Harry lied as he plopped down on the ground beside Scorpius. "I'm going to play here for a bit."

"You two _always_ fight," Scorpius mumbled under his breath as he got up from the ground and walked to his bookshelf to grab a book for Harry to read. "It's not nice."

"He's not nice."

Draco limped up the stairs a few minutes later, still grinning even though he had received a rather good beating earlier. He stopped in front of the playroom and peeked in. Scorpius was busy drawing while Harry was angrily flipping through pages of a large picture book.

So Potter liked him. No big deal. Draco shook his head in disbelief. But he wasn't about to complain. He had absolutely nothing to complain about.

* * *

Harry was struck with a mild case of déjà vu when he looked out the window of his classroom and found Scorpius walking along the length of the stairs at the front of the school, waiting to be picked up. He wondered if Patricia had lost track of time again.

Scorpius smiled at Harry when the teacher walked out. "Nanna forgot me again," he said.

"She's got an awful memory then, huh?" Harry joked. He sat down on the steps to wait with Scorpius. "How long has she taken care of you, Scorpius?"

"Forever," Scorpius said. He sat down next to Harry. "Since I was a baby."

"She must love you very much."

"She does." Scorpius was glad too. He didn't want a wicked babysitter like in the stories. Nanna was the perfect babysitter. He looked up at Harry and asked, "Did you have a babysitter too, Mr. Potter?"

"No."

"Then who looked after you? You don't have a mother or father."

Harry figured that was one way to put it. "My mother has a sister. So my aunt and uncle took care of me until I was seventeen," he explained.

"That's nice."

"Yeah."

"I wish I had an aunt and uncle."

Harry had a feeling Scorpius wouldn't think too highly of his family, considering they were in Azkaban for life… "You do. Teddy's grandmother," he offered.

"Yeah." Scorpius smiled sadly.

Harry's heart sank. He groaned, wrapped his arm around Scorpius and pulled him close. "Don't be like that," he protested. "When do you want to meet her?"

"I don't," Scorpius stammered. "I didn't say anything."

"She'd be ecstatic if she could meet you," Harry assured him. "When Teddy comes down here for winter, we'll go with him, okay? We'll make it a dinner date. We'll even bring Draco along. How does that sound?"

"O-okay."

Harry let go of him and watched him straighten up quickly, brushing his shirt down and fixing his crooked backpack. "I didn't really like my aunt and uncle, you know?" he told the boy.

"Why not?" Scorpius asked out of courtesy. His eyes were trained on his shoes though.

"They weren't very nice to me and I wasn't very nice to them."

"You feel bad now, right?"

Harry propped his elbow on his knee and rested his chin on his palm. "A little," he confessed. "My mother would probably have liked it if I was nicer to them."

"Sometimes, when I'm mean to my father, I feel bad afterwards. And when my father is mean to me, he feels bad too," Scorpius explained wisely. "You need to say sorry and then they'll say sorry and then everyone will be nice again. It's really easy, Mr. Potter."

"It is, isn't it?"

"Mhm."

"So you think I should go see them? I haven't seen them in ten years."

Scorpius' jaw dropped.

Harry shrugged sheepishly. "Like I said… We weren't very nice to each other," he mumbled.

"I don't know, Mr. Potter," Scorpius lamented in dismay. "Saying sorry only works if you aren't nice for one day, not for _ten years_. I'm not even ten years old yet!" His brows furrowed as he thought really hard. If someone were mean to him for ten years, he wouldn't ever be nice to them again. But he didn't want that to happen to Mr. Potter. "Maybe you can invite them for Christmas too. And you can be _really_ nice and I'll be _really_ nice and we'll tell Teddy's grandmother and Teddy and Daddy to be _really_ nice too. Maybe."

"Maybe," Harry echoed. "You're great, Scorp. I really like you."

Scorpius blushed and ducked his head. "Thank you," he mumbled.

Harry moved his legs to stretch them in front of him. He rested on his elbows as he lounged against the steps. "When I was young, I didn't know I was a wizard," he told Scorpius. "I didn't know about magic. I didn't think it was real. No one ever told me. Not even my aunt and uncle. I didn't know until I got a letter that said I was accepted into Hogwarts. And do you know how I found out?"

"How?"

"This big giant came crashing through the door with a birthday cake in his hand. It was my eleventh birthday. He gave me the cake and the letter. That's when I found out. It was amazing."

Scorpius beamed. "That's the best present, huh?"

"The _best_," Harry reminisced. "You'll meet Hagrid when you go to Hogwarts. He's the giant that baked me the cake. He's awesome. He has a bushy, brown beard and he's so tall, like what you read in books. He has the biggest hands and the kindest eyes. He's always smiling, but only if you're nice to him. He takes care of all the animals. He's pretty cool."

"What kinds of animals?"

Before Harry could answer, they heard Scorpius' name being called out. Patricia was waving from the gate. Scorpius tsked in disappointment. Harry laughed at that. "I'll tell you later," he promised. "Just remind me."

"Okay, Mr. Potter." Scorpius ran down to meet his nanny and hand her a sharp dressing down. He paused to wave at Harry before he left, though.

When Draco got home later, his son was getting ready for the night. He let Patricia out before ushering Scorpius into bed. Once he had gotten in reluctantly, he flipped onto his side and waited for his father to sit beside him. "What?" Draco asked as he sat down.

"I talked with Mr. Potter today. He invited us to see Teddy's grandmother for Christmas."

Draco was hardly surprised. "Mr. Potter is quite nosey, isn't he?" he remarked.

"He is," Scorpius agreed. "That's okay. I like him."

"I hadn't noticed."

"Father," Scorpius pouted. "I'm not finished."

"Go on."

"He said that when he was a little boy, he didn't know about magic. He said that he found out on his birthday, when he was eleven. He said it was the best."

"Hmm."

"He said a _giant_ told him. He isn't lying, is he?"

"A giant?"

"A giant," Scorpius confirmed. "With a brown beard and big hands and nice eyes. He made Harry a cake and gave him a letter. That's when he found out that he was a wizard. Did that happen _really_? Or is it just a story?"

"There's something you need to know about Potter, Scorp," Draco said. "No matter how fantastic and unreal his stories sound, all of them are most likely true. He's had a _very_ interesting life."

"Wow," Scorpius breathed. "He said I'd meet the giant at Hogwarts… Do you think he's there?"

Draco arched his brows. "_That _oaf?" he snorted. "_Hagrid_?"

"Yes!" Scorpius went wide-eyed. If his father knew about Hagrid, then he _had_ to be real. "You know Hagrid?"

"He nearly ripped my arm off! Of course, I know him."

"What?" Scorpius squeaked. "Mr. Potter said he was nice! Why would he rip your arm off?"

"Well, he didn't do it himself," Draco admitted begrudgingly. His pride was still sore. "His stupid bird did."

"Bird?"

"Never mind that." He didn't want Scorpius to get nightmares. "Thankfully my arm is still attached and well." He flexed it to show his son. "Just make sure you stand a good five meters away from him, got it?"

"I think _you're_ lying, Father."

"Why would I lie?"

"You lie _all_ the time."

"Go to sleep. Stop being a brat."

Scorpius smiled cheekily. "I'll just ask Mr. Potter. He'll tell me the truth," he snubbed. "Goodnight, Father. Sweet dreams."

"Yeah, yeah," Draco groused as he leaned in to press a firm kiss on Scorpius' forehead. "I'm not lying about this, though. My arm was nearly a goner."

"Sure, it was."

"Really."

"Now _you're_ being a brat, Daddy."

"Fine. Ask your precious Potter. He'll tell you."


	15. Chapter 15

The Burrow was packed with festivities in lieu of Ginny's return from her tour with the team. Molly had spent the entire day cooking and cleaning, charging her children with chores and chiding the little ones when they got in the way. The table was set with the most delicious food that George and Ron kept sneaking morsels of. Not all of the Weasleys could make it, but the ones that could were enough to make a racket in the house. Aunt Ginny was the coolest aunt, after all.

When she arrived, the chaos multiplied tenfold.

She ended up flat on her back on the foyer with children crawling all over her, showering kisses and hugs anywhere they could. She laughed giddily and hugged them back with equal ferocity. "I missed you guys too!" she exclaimed as she cuddled with her nephews and nieces. "I've brought presents!"

That was _another_ reason Aunt Ginny was the coolest aunt. She always brought presents. Yummy presents, at that.

Once the children were occupied by the goodies in her luggage, it was the adults' turn to squeeze the breath out of her. Her brothers were the roughest, of course, ruffling her hair and thumping her back. Molly and Arthur were much gentler with their wide beams and flushed cheeks. She was utterly disheveled when she got to Harry.

"Hey, champ," she grinned. "Missed you." She hugged him tight. "And you totally suck for not writing."

"I know," he conceded with a chuckle. "You already knew I wouldn't."

She did. But she just liked to pester him about it. Harry had never been good at putting his words on paper, so he hated writing letters. She pulled away from him with a satisfied sigh. It felt nice being home again. As much as she liked the adventure of traveling the world playing Quidditch, her home always had a special place in her heart. She inhaled deeply. "Something smells amazing, Mum," she sang out.

Less than five minutes later, everyone was gathered around the table, talking over one another as they passed the dishes around. Ginny was the center of attention for most of it as she relayed anecdotes about her teammates, the fascinating countries she had been to and the strange customs that she had had to adapt to. She talked about all the different fields she had to play in. One of the matches had lasted nearly eight hours, which was the longest for her. Although they hadn't won the Cup, they had still advanced well into the playoffs. She even got to sample a broom or two that wouldn't be arriving in markets for another year. She was great at storytelling, so she had their rapt attention through dinner except for the moments when Hugo threw a tantrum and Lucy started chucking mashed potatoes at Dominique from across the table.

After dinner, the family settled in the living room for a nightcap. Soft music played in the background as assorted fruits and cups of tea were passed around. The children were quieting down considerably by then, leaving the adults to their own conversations. It was nearing eleven when Ginny was finally able to wriggle out of her mother's grasp and join Harry on the floor by the window. He had Rose in his arms and she was fast asleep. Ginny smiled as she stroked her niece's cheek. "I missed you guys so much," she whispered.

"Only sometimes, right?" Harry guessed correctly.

"I like the excitement too," she sighed. She lounged back against the cushions and gestured for Harry to hand her Rose. He carefully placed the little girl into Ginny's arms. Once they were settled down, he conjured a thin blanket wordlessly and draped it over them. "Hmm," Ginny smiled. "You haven't stopped doing that yet."

"Doing what?" he asked as he rested against the cushions with her.

"Taking care of me."

He grimaced. "Right. Yeah. Um… Sorry," he stammered. Ginny was never one to enjoy 'being taken care of'. Although, to be fair, he had conjured that blanket for Rose, not Ginny.

"It's fine," Ginny smirked. She laid her head against Harry's shoulder and they listened to Bill's quiet words that retold an ominous tale.

Harry felt Ginny's breath against his neck and he moved closer unconsciously. Somehow he was reminded of what Draco had said about his brief marriage with Astoria, how they hadn't tried at all and that Scorpius was now caught in the middle of it all. He started wondering what _not_ trying would feel like. Would he just say what's on his mind and not care about what Ginny felt or thought? Would he be inconsiderate? It felt strange to think like that. Then he realized that it must feel strange for Draco to think about compromise and middle grounds. That's what his relationship with Ginny was based on. There were almost no explosive fights and shouting matches between them. Live and let live was their policy. He wondered how Draco would feel about that. Perhaps it would be good idea to bring that up as soon as possible. Harry could visualize _very clearly_ what an explosive fight with Malfoy would look like and it involved a lot of blood. Maybe they should stick with shouting matches instead. At least that would leave them both relatively unscathed.

He knew that Draco's first real fight with Astoria had been over Scorpius. His first real fight with Ginny had happened at the end of the war, when she had been furious with him afterwards for scaring her frightfully _and_ treating her like a child. He wondered what his first fight with Draco would be about. Although… to be fair, he had had more than one fight with Draco. In fact, he was in the middle of one at the moment. But, for the sake of argument, their first fight would most likely be over what to eat for dinner…

"You're smiling."

Harry sat up in a flash and his smile fell away. "What?" he stammered.

"Well, you _were_ smiling," Ginny snickered. "Now I _have_ to know why."

"Nothing. Just thinking about stuff."

"What stuff?"

"Stuff. School stuff."

"Hmm. Sure."

"Really."

It wasn't long before time came for everyone to take their leave. No one left empty-handed. Ginny had presents for everyone. Goodbyes took over half an hour and she didn't allow Harry to leave until the very end. He sat on the stairs obediently through it all. It wasn't until Molly and Arthur retired for the night upon their daughter's insistence that he moved to get up with a tired groan.

"No, no," she hurried as she grabbed a deep mahogany box out of her trunk. "Sit there." He slumped against the banister with a whine. He had been ready for sleep two hours ago. She sat down next to him, practically bouncing with excitement. "You'll love this," she gushed. She opened up the latch and pulled the lid off.

Nestled inside the box atop red velvet was a round golden object, akin to a Snitch. However, this object also had ruby eyes, a thin, long beak and delicate platinum hooks at the bottom. Harry was dumbfounded as he pulled the figurine out of the box. "Ginny…" he breathed. "What did you do?"

"It's a Snidget imitation," she whispered. "Do you like it?"

"I-I-I don't know what to say." He cradled the bird figurine in his palms, studying the intricate feathers, sparkling jewels, and stunning beauty of the Snidget. "It's so… I mean…" He swallowed hard. "How much did this cost, Ginny?"

"Nothing," she answered cheerily. "At the World Cup, since it was the four hundred and twenty fifth, they gave each Seeker one of these. I want you to have it."

"I can't," he blurted out. He deposited the startling figure back into the box and shut the lid. "You can't just give it away, Gin."

"I can do what I want with it," she argued. "What else am I supposed to do with it? Carry it around in my suitcase and marvel at it when I'm half-asleep in bed? You'll obviously take better care of it, Harry." She placed the box firmly on his lap. "It's for you and you're not allowed to say no to gifts. I know you care about Quidditch as much as I do."

"But it's-"

She huffed irritably as she landed a sharp smack over his arm. "I love you, so you aren't allowed to say no," she scowled.

He clamped his mouth shut and sagged in defeat. How was he supposed to argue with that?

"Good," she said with a smug smile. She leaned forward and pressed a triumphant kiss against him before standing up to close her trunk. But she froze before she could take a step forward. She twitched her lips in thought and turned back around instead, tilting her head at Harry. "What was that about?" she asked.

"Huh?"

She bent down to kiss Harry again, this time lingering for a beat longer. When she pulled away, her frown had deepened. Harry frowned back in confusion. That wasn't the answer she was looking for, so she cupped his face and kissed him forcibly.

He pushed her away in shock. "Wh-Ginny!"

Her eyes widened. "Harry James Potter…"

Before he could so much as gasp, she had grabbed him by the wrist while simultaneously shoving the box off his lap and dragged him up the stairs, not caring that he was stumbling all the while. She raced into her room two doors down from the landing, jerking Harry inside before slamming the door shut. "YOU'RE SEEING SOMEONE?" she shrieked.

Harry scrambled back in fright. "What's going on?"

"WHY WOULDN'T YOU TELL ME?"

"Stop yelling!"

"I CAN'T!"

"I-I'm not seeing anyone," he said to try to calm her down. "Why would you think I'm-"

"You aren't kissing me back! That's why!"

Harry paled and that was enough for Ginny.

"AHA! I KNEW IT!"

"B-but I-I-I just-and y-you're not-I mean, we… I-uh… Um…"

Ginny exhaled loudly and planted her hands on her hips. "You have a _lot_ of nerve, Potter!" she snapped.

"I'm sorry."

"The least you could do was _tell_ me. Or did you _want_ me to make a fool out of myself?"

"N-no. Definitely not. Not a fool."

She stomped over to her bed and plopped down on it, crossing her arms against her chest. "Well, who is she?" she demanded to know.

Harry had never been in such a bind. He was sweating bullets. "I… uh… It's… complicated," he finally managed to get out.

"Why?"

"Because it just is."

"So you won't tell me?"

"No."

She pouted theatrically. "Please?"

He nearly sighed with relief. He knew that if Ginny was acting this way, she wasn't really angry after all. He slumped and scuffed the floor with his shoe. "I can't, Ginny," he mumbled. He felt himself blush. "It's nothing." Why hadn't he just kissed her back?

"No one knows, then? It's a secret?"

"Mhm."

"Why? Is she hideous?"

Harry pulled a face at Ginny. She pulled one at him too in return. "If it's nothing, no one needs to know," he proceeded to reason with her.

"_I_ want to know."

"No one _needs_ to know," he repeated.

"Come here. Now," she commanded, pointing at the bed where she wanted Harry to sit. He obliged reluctantly, sitting down next to her. She cupped his cheeks in her hands again, clicking her tongue when he flinched away. Once he had settled down properly, she asked, "Are you in serious trouble?"

He all but scoffed at her. "Oh, come on! Am I that hopeless? I'm allowed to date, you know?"

"Only me," she muttered under her breath. "I'm feeling a bit hurt here. You've hurt my feelings. What are you going to do about it?"

"I'll buy you some chocolates."

"Hmph." She let go of him so she could fold her arms against her chest again. "What's the deal, then? You don't like complicated. Remember?"

"It's fine," he assured her. "I'm fine. I swear."

"If it's fine, you'd tell me who you're with."

"I'm not _with_ anyone."

"Is she nice?"

"Not really."

"Is she rich, then?"

"She's actually a he…"

Ginny's jaw dropped and she blinked at Harry owlishly for a few moments before recovering. Then she snapped her teeth together and gulped. "Wait, you… Are you dating a cross-dresser?" she squeaked.

Harry groaned in dismay and fell backwards onto the bed, rolling over to hide his face against the sheets. He didn't know what to do with Ginny at times like this. "He's a proper man, Gin," he spelled out, his words sounding muffled. "Why are you being so thick?"

"Oh. A proper man. Right… Of course. A proper man… That's not _any_ better, Harry."

"Yes, he's rich."

She scooted over to huddle close to Harry. "Are you sure he's not some perv who wants to get into your pants?" she whispered loudly.

"Ugh."

"Because that can happen."

"Stop it."

"I mean, you _are_ Harry Potter and all."

"He doesn't even like me, alright?"

Ginny paused for a moment, then her lips started pulling up into an amused smile. She forced Harry to turn around and lay on his back. "Are you crushing on him?" she giggled. "Really?"

"I'm going home now," Harry harrumphed as he made to get up.

Ginny pushed him back down. "That's a first, isn't it?" she exclaimed. "He's not interested in you?"

"Everyone's interested in me, Ginny," Harry said with an affected sniff. "I'm sure you've noticed."

"Prat."

"Like I said, it's nothing. It'll blow over in a little while." He raised a derisive brow at Ginny. "And I'll run right back into your arms. Don't worry about it."

"You can't smooth-talk your way out of this one," Ginny derided. She patted his cheek with clicking her tongue empathetically. "It's never that simple with you, champ. Hell, you wouldn't even _kiss_ me to keep appearances up. You always had a strange sense of loyalty. You're _way_ too committed already. Such a shame."

"I'm not committed! I already told you it's not like that!"

"Sure, it's not."

"We aren't seeing each other."

"Sure, you aren't."

"We don't even like each other!"

"Sure, you don't."

"I'm not committed, Ginny! You're being very indelicate regarding this matter!"

"Call a rose by any other name…"

"Argh!"

* * *

Harry wasn't very comfortable in the Malfoy Manor, not after the 'arrangement'. He was always on the lookout for Draco who loved to see him unsettled. Draco had a few ways of unsettling him. He could say something weird. Or do something weird. Or look at Harry weird.

Often times he did all of those at the same time.

Harry knew Draco was just messing with him, but he couldn't recover fast enough to pretend like he wasn't thrown.

Like that one time when, after dinner, Draco had jerked him around the corner into the kitchen and pressed him against the wall, trapping him in a makeshift cage.

"Uh…"

Draco tipped forward and kissed his parted mouth. Hands moved down to grasp the hem of his shirt, tugging it up. He gasped and smacked Draco away as his heart thundered in his chest. Draco simply smirked as he stepped back. "Seriously, Potter?" he drawled. Shaking his head, he moved to the sink to do the dishes. Harry took that moment to pull himself together. He felt like a dork, of course. But he didn't like surprises! What was he supposed to do when someone kissed him like that? He couldn't even bring himself to initiate a kiss with Draco yet, let alone respond to an amorous lip lock like that one. He brushed his shirt down. He also didn't fancy all of Draco's tries to cop a feel. Once again, it was quite emasculating.

"Could you _not_ do that?" he asked quietly as he walked over and leaned against the counter, his nervous fingers curling over the edge. "I-I don't like it."

"And why not?"

"I just don't."

Draco glanced over his shoulder at Harry. "What would you like then, your majesty?" he murmured.

"Just be nice," Harry sighed. "You aren't being very receptive."

"_I'm_ not being receptive?"

"In an intellectual way, Malfoy…"

"Oh. Right."

Harry sidled towards him. "It's just that… you don't seem to want to do anything except snog," he tried to explain. "I just-"

"Merlin, you're starting to sound like Pansy," Draco muttered under his breath.

Harry bristled. "Don't you dare compare me to her! That's disgusting!" he blurted out. "Ugh!"

"Now here's the situation," Draco interjected. "We've hated each other's guts for way too long to just jump into this thing. Obviously physical attraction is much easier for me to get behind."

"Then shall I tell you more about myself?"

"What for?"

"So you can see if you like me as a person?"

Draco turned around fully to raise his brows at Harry. "Are you hearing yourself?" he wanted to know. "It's rather off putting."

Harry glared at Draco as he started drying the wet plates. "Try it, Malfoy."

Draco all but shuddered. Harry was _really_ starting to sound like Pansy now… He didn't say another word, instead focusing on cleaning the dishes. He couldn't see what was so wrong with having a physical relationship with no real emotional attachments. Wasn't that what an affair was? He didn't do emotional attachment all that well. He was already putting all that attachment into Scorpius.

"Did you like playing Quidditch with me?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "I don't like losing, Potter. So no. I hated playing with you," he grumbled.

"It's one of the only things I'm good at, you know? I was never good at sports at my other school."

"Other school?"

"The Muggle one."

"I see."

"Remember how I got selected for the team? When you were being a prick?"

"Are we doing this now?" Draco asked while putting on a fake grin. "Placing you on a pedestal? That's a whole load of fun for me. Let's do more of that. How about that time you-"

Harry elbowed him in the ribs to shut him up. "What did you like about Quidditch?" he went on to say, ignoring Draco's little quip.

Draco scowled at Harry for a few seconds and then mumbled, "Why don't you start?"

"The flying part. And the winning part."

"Same."

Harry smiled at the spoons in his hands. "Did you tell Scorp that Buckbeak nearly ripped your arm off?"

"None of that made _any_ sense to me."

"Did you tell Scorpius that Hagrid's hippogriff nearly ripped your arm off?"

"Well, he did! You were there!"

"He scratched you, Draco. I was there."

"He was a monster, I tell you."

"No," Harry countered patiently. "He has a short temper and didn't take kindly to being disrespected by you. _I_ got to fly on him. He didn't try to maul me because I was being respectful."

"I hate you so much right now."

Harry laughed and stepped closer to Draco so they were pressed together from shoulder to elbow. "We should go to the zoo, see if we can ride a hippogriff. We'll take Scorp with us. It'll be fun," he suggested. "Hmm?"

"No way," Draco snorted in derision. "I am_ not_ letting my son go near a creature that could rip him into shreds because he _disrespected_ the ugly old thing. You may be used to nearly dying, but I sure am not."

"You didn't nearly die."

"How would you know? I was the one that nasty bird decided to attack!" He slapped his hands on the soapy water in the sink, splashing it all over them.

"Oh, _come on_!" Harry sputtered as he shook water out of his hair. "Alright, alright. Stop throwing a fit."

Draco mumbled this and that under his breath as he rolled his cuffs further up his forearms without thinking. He froze when he revealed his pale green Dark Mark. He quickly pulled his sleeve back down, his jaw clenching twice as he was suddenly rattled.

"It's fine," Harry said lightly.

Draco flicked his eyes at the man who had kept drying the dishes like nothing was the matter.

Harry looked up at him when he noticed that Draco wasn't moving. "I've seen worse, Malfoy," he explained. "A tattoo isn't going to put me off. It's fine."

After a minute, Draco rolled his cuff up again and returned to the dishes. "It puts _me_ off," he confessed.

"Even now?"

"Mhm."

Harry wrapped an arm around Draco's shoulders and squeezed him tight without saying a word. Draco felt an unwanted blush creeping up his neck. He was glad Potter wasn't looking at him. He made sure to turn his arm in such a way that the Dark Mark wasn't so obvious. He was used to hiding it. Hardly anyone saw it except for Scorpius and Astoria. Both of them pretended not to notice. He relaxed when Harry let go of him. Harry was the last person he had wanted to reveal his Dark Mark to. Too late now, he supposed.

"You know, I flew on a dragon once," Harry continued. "That has got to be one of-"

Draco kissed Harry abruptly, stopping the rest of those words. His wet fingers curled around Harry's chin to steady it. Harry smiled into the kiss. He had finally gotten to Draco.

Draco let out a sigh of defeat as he pulled away. "Now you aren't being fair, Harry," he murmured.

"That's what I've been telling you," Harry chuckled. He shrugged playfully and started putting away the dishes. He knew he was exploiting Draco's weak spot, but that was pretty much what Draco had been doing all this time. He didn't feel the least bit guilty.

* * *

**A/N:** Hmm? How was that? I know it's a slow build-up, but let's get Harry and Draco used to the idea for now ;) Also, holy balls, all of your reviews are amazing! And there are so many alerts and faves that I'm getting giddy just getting those FFN e-mails, haha! Thank you!


	16. Chapter 16

"DADDY! DADDY! PLEASE!"

Draco fumbled out of bed in fright, grabbing his wand reflexively. He didn't even bother with the lights as he raced to Scorpius' room, throwing the door open in anticipation of something dreadful. Instead, he found his son sitting up in bed, crying his heart out. He groaned in dismay as he stumbled forward and sat down, pulling the boy close. Scorpius curled into Draco's arms, shaking and sweating as he sobbed. "It's okay," Draco soothed. "It was a bad dream. You had a bad dream."

"Daddy," Scorpius whimpered. His fingers were clenched into fists and they bunched up his father's shirt. "Don't go. Please don't go," he begged.

"I'm not," Draco insisted. "I'm right here. See? I'm right here." He squeezed Scorpius close, his heart sinking when he felt heat radiating from the small body on his lap. Scorpius had a fever. He flicked his wand to turn on the lights. "You had a bad dream. Just a dream."

Scorpius suddenly kicked his legs violently and shrieked, "SPIDERS! DADDY! SPIDERS!"

"No, no, no," Draco murmured. He ran his hands down Scorpius' shins slowly. "See? No spiders. It's okay. You're okay now." He didn't know what to do. He tried to remember what his mother had done when he had gotten fevers. He couldn't remember much of it. Hot soup and cold rags, maybe. He bundled Scorpius close to him. "I'll keep the spiders away, okay?"

"They'll get you," Scorpius sobbed. "I'm scared, Daddy. I don't like it."

Draco slid the back of his hand over Scorpius' neck to get rid of some of the rivulets of sweat. "Will you look at me?" he asked. "Scorpius? Will you look at me?"

Scorpius finally opened his eyes. Draco smiled shakily. Scorpius heaved to get air into his shuddering lungs, but he had stopped crying for now. He reached up to loop his arms around Draco and then rested his cheek against Draco's cold neck. "Don't go," he croaked.

"I'm not going anywhere," Draco whispered. He moved his wand upwards so cold air could blow onto the bed. Then he gingerly laid down against the pillows with Scorpius still holding him tight. "Don't sleep."

"I won't," Scorpius whispered back. "I don't want to sleep. Not ever." He shivered as the breeze made his clammy skin cold. "I hate it."

"Shall we read a book?"

"Mhm."

"What book?"

"Any book."

A minute later, Scorpius had his head against Draco's chest and both of them were reading the dragon book slowly. Draco wove his fingers into Scorpius' hair, massaging his scalp gently like his mother used to. Scorpius tugged at his ear for comfort. He wanted to forget about the creepy spiders and keep thinking about the white dragon. His eyes drooped shut not long after and he was asleep before he could get past page three. Draco didn't realize that until he was on the fifth page. He tilted his head down to find his son sleeping soundly. He put the book away and wrapped an arm around him. As tired as he was at the moment, he wouldn't be able to sleep. Not when Scorpius was like this. He pressed a kiss against Scorpius' rosy cheek. He hated feeling this helpless. "I'm sorry," he mumbled as he closed his eyes and listened to the soft breaths he tried to match.

* * *

Harry arrived at the Manor right after school and he was quite surprised to see a rather haggard Draco inside. He was never invited over to visit during school nights.

"Um… What's up with you?" he asked incredulously. Draco looked like he had just woken up. His hair was unkempt, he still wore his sleep clothes, and he had bags under his eyes.

"Scorp's sick."

"Aw. Poor guy," Harry tsked. "Where is he?"

"Living room."

Scorpius was huddled up in a bundle of blankets on the couch. Propped up in front of him was a large picture book that read aloud to him. The cartoon figures moved as well. The coffee table was littered with cups of water and damp rags. Harry made sure to be quiet and he tapped his finger against Scorpius' shoulder so as not to startle him. The feverish boy looked up blearily, smiling when he recognized Harry. "Hello," he rasped.

"Hey, buddy. How are you holding up?"

"Good. I didn't go to school today."

"Ah, that's something to be happy about, isn't it?" Harry teased. "Did you have fun with Dad?"

"Mhm. I had ice cream."

"Everyone has to be nice to you when you're sick. You should ask for ice cream for breakfast _and_ supper, okay?"

Scorpius grinned impishly. "Okay," he agreed hoarsely.

"Is your throat sore too?"

"Mhm."

"Don't talk too much, then. Your voice could run away on you."

"Uh oh."

"It's happened to me before," Harry winked. "But I think you're doing just fine now, huh? We'll take some more medicine later, okay?" He rested a hand over Scorpius' forehead nonchalantly, feeling the warmth against his skin. "Something for the fever. Something icky."

Scorpius wrinkled his nose.

"My thoughts exactly," Harry mumbled before placing a finger against his lips. "But you get ice cream after, so it's all good."

"Yeah!"

Harry glanced to the side where Draco stood against the wall, watching. "I'll be right back, Scorpius. I'm going to talk to your father for a bit, okay?" he said.

"Mhm."

Draco shuffled out of the room, followed closely by Harry, and he stopped at the foyer. Harry was still getting used to seeing Draco like this. He looked lived in. It was nice. He wasn't as foreboding or put together. Even Draco was capable of looking like this at times. It was a comforting thought. "He seems to be doing great," Harry smiled. "He's in great spirits. How many bowls of ice cream did you feed him, anyway?"

"His fever comes and goes," Draco murmured. "I'm giving him potions to get rid of the chills. But he can't swallow any food. He coughs too much. A-and he can hardly walk because he… he's too w-"

"Whoa. Stop," Harry interrupted as he pulled Draco into a hug. "Stop. It's okay. You're okay now."

Draco hid his face against Harry's shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut. "I was so scared last night. He wouldn't stop screaming. He h-had so many nightmares. I-I… I just didn't know what to do."

"Oh man, Draco," Harry chuckled in disbelief. "Stop that! Why are you crying?"

"I don't know," Draco sobbed. "I don't." He was just so relieved to hear Harry say that Scorpius was doing fine. "I was scared."

Harry muffled his laughs behind closed lips. This was the silliest thing he had ever witnessed. He rubbed circles against Draco's shuddering back. "He's okay now. It's just a fever. Everyone gets fevers."

"H-he's never. He's never been sick."

"At night, fevers spike. Nightmares are alright. It happens. He seems perfectly fine now. You're doing such a great job. You really are. Don't cry, okay? Please?"

"Mhm."

Harry smiled when he heard the quiet sniffle and mumble. They stood that way for a long while until Draco had time to calm down and push aside his misgivings. He eventually dried his eyes against Harry's shirt before stepping away. Harry suddenly remembered that Scorpius had cried on his shoulder too nearly a year ago. Like father, like son. He reached up to pat Draco's damp cheek, his smile widening when Draco refused to look up. "You've got a fever too, buddy," he murmured. "Come on." He pulled Draco into the living room and made him sit on the couch next to Scorpius who obliviously curled up onto his father's lap. "I'll get some soup," Harry told them. "You two sit still, okay?"

"Don't blow up my kitchen."

Scorpius snickered while Harry made a face at Draco and then stomped off.

An hour, four bowls of peppery soup and two potions later, Scorpius was sleeping with his head on Draco's lap.

"Alright now?" Harry asked Draco.

"Yes," Draco sighed. "Sorry."

"Take him to the hospital tomorrow, okay? Both of you need to go. I'm sure they'll give him something for his throat. Bring Patricia with you."

"Yeah. Okay."

Harry hooked a finger under Draco's chin and nudged it up. Draco finally looked up at him, eyes hooded and expression unreadable. "I never knew you'd be such a sissy," he taunted lightly.

"You must be rubbing off on me," Draco retorted.

"Must be." Harry got up off the sofa. "I'm glad you asked me over. I'll come back tomorrow evening, okay? Just to check up on you guys. Keep doing what you're doing. Now you need to sleep."

"You'll see yourself out?"

"Of course."

* * *

Turns out the Malfoys had a case of strep throat. The doctor prescribed some potions for the pain and to kill the bacteria. Scorpius had the worst of it. He could hardly speak or swallow because of his sore throat. Draco had gotten away with a fever and cough. Patricia tucked them into the bed the moment they had returned from the hospital. Medications made them entirely too sleepy in any case, so they slept most of the day away in Draco's bed. Scorpius thought it was great. He had never felt this gross before and it felt nice to be coddled. Draco hardly let go of him, always hugging and kissing him. He could tell that his father was feeling bad for him. He felt bad for his father too. So he lay very still as Draco pulled him close in his sleep.

In the evening, Patricia let Harry in and it was one of their first real meetings. She filled him in on the diagnosis and prognosis, somewhat in awe of being in the presence of Harry Potter. She didn't ask any questions when Harry peeked into the bedroom to make sure everyone was asleep.

"They aren't very fussy, those two," she whispered. "They don't complain much. So I almost never know how they're doing."

Harry could imagine. Being independent meant never showing weakness. Draco crying last night had been one of the few times Harry saw that mask crack. "I'm glad they're resting," he murmured as he closed the door so the cold air couldn't escape. "Are you sure you won't be getting sick?"

"I'll be sure to claim worker's compensation," Patricia laughed.

Draco woke up grumpily, turning his head to the side to glare at Harry who was smiling down at him with a bowl of soup in hand. Patricia was already kneeling on the other end of the bed, helping Scorpius sit up against the pillows. The Malfoys ate their dinner without a word, letting Patricia and Harry chat. They made mild conversation while coaxing the sick patients to drink all of the chicken broth. Scorpius was wide awake after, downing his potion in one gulp so he could claim his popsicle. Draco was the opposite. He wanted nothing more to just sleep the day away. He wasn't very coherent as he swallowed his potion with a grimace and then squirmed to lie down on the bed again, turning towards Harry as he closed his eyes and sighed. Scorpius, in the meantime, was attempting to tell Harry all about his visit to the doctor despite hardly being able to get his voice out of his sore throat. Patricia took her leave a little later. She had been looking after them for nearly twelve hours at that point. She smiled apologetically at Harry as she said her goodbyes and promised Scorpius that she would be back tomorrow morning before he woke up.

Harry and Scorpius stayed up for a long time after. Harry had brought over some homework from the first grade teacher and Scorpius was _very_ glad for it. He had been worried that he would fall behind, although it would be quite hard to fall behind in a first grade class. Harry told him how a lot of his students were sick as well. All of them had to keep washing their hands to make sure they weren't spreading germs. Scorpius felt a bit embarrassed as he wondered whether he was the reason everyone else got sick but Harry was quick to put him at ease.

"When you start going to school, every year there is this one month when so many kids get sick. It's flu season, you know? When you keep all the children in one room for such a long time, everyone gets sick, right? It's no big deal," Harry told him. "Besides, when you're young you need to build up your immune system so you don't get sick when you're older."

"Like Dad?"

"Exactly. Everyone gets sick at least once a year. It's a miracle that you haven't _ever_ gotten sick before."

Scorpius smiled with relief. "Do _you_ get sick every year?" he wanted to know.

"Not anymore," Harry said. "When I was younger, yeah. But if we make sure our hands are clean and that we cover our mouths when we cough, then you won't get sick as often and you won't make others sick either."

"Mhm."

Once he had finished his second popsicle, Scorpius was practically bouncing in bed because of his full bladder. He had been on bed rest for so long that he was feeling jittery. Harry laughed as he watched the boy weave to the bathroom, dizzy from potions and the fever. "I can't walk straight," Scorpius giggled as he finally stumbled into the loo and shut the door behind him.

Draco shifted against Harry with a crabby mutter when the thud disturbed him. He burrowed his face against Harry's leg, curling into him easily. Harry patted his shoulder so he would go back to sleep again. Scorpius staggered into the bedroom a moment later, wiping his hands on his pajamas before climbing into bed next to Draco. "Don't get sick, Harry," he croaked. "It's not nice."

"I believe you," Harry agreed with a solemn nod. "Do you think you'll be alright for the night, buddy?"

"Mhm," Scorpius nodded eagerly. "I'll look after Father. I'll be nice to him."

"Nanna's going to be back really soon too, okay?"

"Okay!"

Harry conjured cups of water on the bedside table. "Let's leave the light on, hmm?" he murmured.

Scorpius reached forward to grab a book from the foot of the bed. He had asked Patricia for them before she left. "I'll read to Daddy," he said. "You can go home, Mr. Potter."

"Sounds good." Harry gingerly untangled himself from Draco's grip and slid out of bed. "I'll be back tomorrow after school."

"Good night."

"Sweet dreams, Scorp."

* * *

"Did you stop by yesterday?"

"Yes."

"Did I make a complete fool out of myself?"

"Not as completely as the day before."

"Well, that's a relief," Draco grumbled. He was sitting at the table with his work piled up in front of him. His head ached, his nose was stuffy, his throat was sandy, and he just felt awful. It didn't help that stupid Harry was sitting opposite him with a stupid patronizing grin on his stupid smug face. "Go away."

"What? No gratitude? No pat on the back? No jubilant cheering?"

"I don't need you."

"Right." Harry dragged a piece of parchment across the table to read it absently. "I can look after Scorp tomorrow if you want to go work," he offered.

"It's fine."

"I'm not doing anything. It's Saturday. I'm free."

"It's fine, Harry. You've already done so much."

Harry looked up at Draco without pretense. "Let me do this too?" he asked.

Draco paused for a moment before frowning in confusion.

"I'm at your beck and call, you know. Now that we're… dating and all," Harry added.

"Oh… That."

"Yeah. That."

"Um…"

"I'd be happy to look after him, okay?"

Draco sighed loudly as he sat back. "Do you like babysitting?" he ventured to ask.

"Of course," Harry grinned. "I've got a few years under my belt now."

After some coaxing, Draco agreed reluctantly. He did miss three days of work already. He couldn't afford to get even further behind with his tedious paperwork. If Scorpius was confused as to why Harry was taking care of him instead of Patricia, he didn't voice his doubts. He was fine if his father was fine. Harry was practically like Patricia, in any case.

So, the next day, Draco left for work at eight, which meant Scorpius and Harry could be up to any number of mischievous deeds for the next nine hours.

"What should we do now?" Harry asked while wiggling his brows.

"I should go back to bed and eat more oranges," Scorpius said dutifully.

"That's no fun."

"You aren't supposed to have fun when you're sick."

"You aren't sick anymore."

"Yes, I am." Scorpius pressed a hand to his neck to check his temperature. "I'm still warm. See?"

Harry waved him off. "Let's go to the park instead," he proposed.

"Oh, we can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm sick, Harry," Scorpius explained patiently. "It's snowing outside and I'm not allowed to go to the park when I'm sick. I'll get more sick."

"Then what am I supposed to do with you?"

The boy exhaled in one loud gush and rested a hand against Harry's arm, squeezing it comfortingly. "I'll play with you outside when I'm better, okay? I promise," he said. "Today we'll play inside."

"You are one smooth talking kid, you know that?" Harry laughed. He slipped his hand into Scorpius' and pulled him along. "I'll show you something really cool. We can play inside the house."

A short while later, Scorpius sat on the cold granite counter of his kitchen, his legs swinging under him, as he watched Harry mix sugar and peanut butter in a bowl. He was making 'food that you are allowed to play with'. Scorpius had never seen anything like that before. Harry set the bowl beside his charge. "See? It's play dough," he said.

"Hmm."

"Try it."

Scorpius eyed the brown goop with some doubt before digging two of his fingers into the blob and pulling off a small piece. It didn't feel like play dough. He ate it. It didn't taste like play dough.

"Good?" Harry asked.

Scorpius wasn't sure yet. He pulled off a bigger piece and squished it in his hand. It was _very_ messy. "What should I make?" he asked Harry.

"How about a face?"

He set about doing just that, now using both hands and molding the mushy peanut butter into an egghead with mismatched, hollow eyes and a pointy nose. "I'm not very good at it," he conceded, showing his miserable attempt to Harry. "See?"

"Well, you are much better than me, so I can't judge," Harry answered. He hopped up on the counter with Scorpius and helped himself to a chunk of edible play dough, rolling it between his hands to make a round ball. "What do you do with Draco on your days off, then?"

"We read a lot. Usually he has to work for a bit in his study. And we paint. When Nanna is here, I go out with her. We go shopping and she lets me feed the birds at the park. What do you do, Mr. Potter?"

"I sleep _a lot_. And then I play with Rose and Hugo. If Teddy's around, he always wants to do things. Usually we fly in the evenings and then go out to eat. I like weekends."

"I don't know if I like weekends better than school. School's loads of fun. We play so many games and learn so many things. I'm glad I can read now."

"As you should be. And what are you doing for the winter pageant this year? Singing again?"

"I'm painting!" Scorpius perked up excitedly. "I forgot to tell you, Mr. Potter! My class is doing a play and I'm painting the trees and the castle. I love it! I've got so many gold stars now."

"Bet it fills up a book, huh?"

"Father says they're silly, but _I_ like them. I like stars."

"Your father often says silly things, I've noticed."

"He sure does. He says if I don't finish my vegetables, I'll get warts on my face and I'll turn into a goblin. _That's_ so silly. I tell him it's silly, but he keeps telling me it's true." Scorpius paused for a moment. "Or maybe _he_ thinks it's true!" he exclaimed. "Oh my goodness!"

"Have you tried telling him it's not true, then?"

"I've tried so many times, Harry. But he keeps telling me the same thing everyday. Maybe you should tell him it's not true. He'll believe you for sure."

"I doubt that very much, Scorp. He is quite stubborn."

Scorpius clicked his tongue. "I know I'm supposed to eat vegetables to grow big and strong. It's not because I'd turn into a goblin. That's just a fairy tale. Right?"

"Right."

"Hey, Harry."

"What?"

Scorpius opened his mouth and pushed his tongue against his bottom row of teeth. The lower incisors started wiggling.

"Oh gosh!" Harry gasped. "They're going to come out any day now!"

"I don't want it to come out," Scorpius sighed. "It'll hurt."

"I lost one of my teeth when I was eating a toffee. I didn't even notice."

"What? Really?"

"Sure thing. I would have swallowed it too if I hadn't realized that my tooth was suddenly missing. It didn't hurt one bit because it was already so loose. All you've got to do is wait for the right moment to pull it out. It feels funny once you've lost them."

"But… won't there be blood and stuff? Alex lost his tooth in class. It was _very_ messy and scary. He was crying so hard."

"Just keep wiggling it every night and it'll be super easy to pull out in a week. Trust me. I've lost _all_ my teeth already."

"I'll look really dumb, huh?"

"Everyone in your class will," Harry assured him. "Imagine how funny your class pictures are you going to turn out with all of your missing teeth."

Scorpius giggled. It _would_ look pretty funny. He could imagine it right now. He held up his peanut butter flower. "This one's nice, right?" he asked.

"Nice enough to eat," Harry winked.

"Daddy's going to be _very_ mad at you, Harry."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"You aren't allowed to have sweets when you're sick," he hummed, his lips quirking up into a sly smile. He chomped on the flower and chewed it up happily. "Yummy."

* * *

Draco pushed open the door an inch and peeked into the dimly lit room. He rested the side of his head against the doorjamb as he watched his son sleep soundly while curled up against Harry who lay atop the blanket with a careless arm thrown over Scorpius and the other wrapped around a pillow. The scene was incredibly laughable and straight out of a storybook. Draco couldn't help smiling.

Scorpius twitched in his sleep and whined, causing Harry to stir. Small arms wound around his neck. "Dragon, Daddy… I want."

Harry tilted his head down to press a sleepy kiss on Scorpius. "Me too," he whispered.

Draco shook his head in defeat. 'Daddy'. He couldn't figure out how it was so natural for Potter to act like a doting father when the boy wasn't even his son. And how dare Scorpius call him 'Daddy'? He stifled his indignant huff as he flicked his wand above the bed to cause a gentle stream of cold air to flow across the room. Huddled so close together, it would be wonder if the two didn't wake up drenched in sweat. Draco closed the door gently and walked back downstairs where his work was spread out on the table.

He had ended up coming home much later than expected. He was surprised to find the house bathed in darkness. It was just past eight. On a weekend, Scorpius' bedtime was anywhere between nine and sleep. The boy wouldn't go to bed without fussing for a little while. So, when he found Scorpius and Harry huddled together in bed, evidently tuckered out after an active reading session, he had been a bit confused. But that was fine. Scorpius was still recuperating and Draco still had some more work to do before he could think about dinner.

Over the course of the night, he must have fallen asleep himself at the table because, when he woke up groggily, his neck and back were killing him and… something else…

He opened his eyes to gawk at Harry who was kissing him gently.

He straightened up with a jerky motion, but Harry didn't let go of his lips. He leaned forward instead until Draco had to tilt his head up to keep intimate contact. It was a long few minutes before he came to his senses.

He turned his head to the side as he panted and attempted to clear his head. Had his fever returned? Most likely, because he felt his hands shaking and his heart racing. What just happened? Potter had just kissed him on his own accord. Why didn't that make any sense? Because Potter had _never_ done that before. What was going on now? He glanced up when he heard soft rustling. Harry was still there… "Oh boy," he breathed. This had to be a dream. It just had to be.

Harry started laughing.

He didn't look away from Draco and his gaze wasn't shy or coy. He just seemed genuinely exhilarated. "I can't believe I just did that."

Draco marveled at how easy Harry made it look. He slipped his arms around Harry's waist and was pleasantly surprised when he was met with compliance instead of fussy scowling. "What's gotten into you, Potter?"

Just spending a day with Scorpius told Harry so much about Draco. Spending a day with Scorpius made him want to know more about Draco. "You're so…" he trailed off.

"Hmm?" Draco frowned in puzzlement.

"I don't know… Something… And… I should go."

"No. You can stay."

"But I should go. You need your sleep."

Draco shook his head.

Harry pushed away from him and stood up straight. "I'll see you later, Malfoy," he said vaguely as he walked out of the room. Draco dropped his head on the table when he heard the sound of shuffling shoes in the foyer. Potter was surely going to drive him mad.

Harry jerked around as his arm was pulled back forcibly before he could reach for the door. "Stay," Draco murmured. Their arms wound around each other and Harry arched up, parting his mouth to let Draco in. His fingers wove through fine platinum-blond hair, a shiver running down his spine as he did so. Tugging at Draco's hair was enough to get Harry excited. He hummed as he tilted his head, not wanting to be outdone. It was their first impassioned kiss, the first that made them feel giddy and aroused. Draco was dizzy from the heat of the moment. Pressed together from chest to hip, he could practically feel Harry from underneath his jacket.

Their breaths were lost in that kiss…

Draco just couldn't let go, not even with the kiss ended. Harry smiled as he gave Draco a gentle nudge to get him to move away. "You can stay, Harry…"

"You look really good in a suit."

Draco blinked and then looked down at himself.

Harry reached behind him and opened the door. "Night," he chuckled before disapparating home.

"Damn," Draco muttered under his breath, realizing how much like a fool he must appear to be for standing there with an outstretched arm and a foot out the door, grasping at thin air. How bloody desperate did he want to seem? He groaned as he stepped back into the house, closing the door before trudging up the stairs. He really hated Potter at times. He licked his lips. He _really_ hated that bastard...

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry, dudes. No real lemon in this story. Trying to abide by the rules and all :P I might post some in an archive somewhere, though. I'll let you know when/if I do! Until then, just use your ~*~_imagination_~*~

Hee hee.


	17. Chapter 17

_Months later…_

Draco stirred out of his concentration and looked up from the notes on his lap when the front door burst open and squeals of laughter echoed through the foyer, followed by stomping footsteps. He groaned in dismay as he threw the parchment onto the couch and stormed out of the living room, only to find his foyer tracked with mud and dirt. The commotion had moved into the dining room by then. When he got there a moment later, he was privy to a rather haggard Scorpius giggling at one end of the table and Harry panting, holding onto a chair at the other end.

"That is _it_!" he barked, causing both Scorpius and Harry to start and look up in surprise. "That's the _fourth_ time this week! Bathroom. Now!"

"Father!" Scorpius whined. His shoes were the source of most of the mess. His hair stuck up on all ends from the wind. His clothes were askew and dotted with grime. And his hands were nearly black from caked dirt.

"You are _absolutely filthy_!" Draco exclaimed in horror. "What've you been doing? Rolling in a pigpen?"

"I was _playing_ with Harry!" Scorpius argued. "You're being unfair! I was playing and I'm allowed to do that."

"Not if you're bringing the park into the house! Upstairs, Scorpius Malfoy. I won't ask you again!"

"Better listen to him, Scorp," Harry said with a raised brow. He didn't look much better himself. He had grass stains all over him and even his cheeks were stained with dirt. "You know how he gets."

Scorpius smiled mischievously. "Grumpy bear," he growled, curling up his hands like claws.

Draco harrumphed. "You are _forbidden_ from taking my son out to the park, Potter," he declared. "I can't believe you!"

"What?" Harry asked as his eyes widened with unfounded innocence. "I was _playing_ with Scorpius. I'm allowed to do that."

Draco had to resort to physically pulling both of them out of the dining room, up the stairs, and into bathrooms. He practically locked Harry in the guest room, ordering him to not come out until he had gotten every bit of dirt off of him. Then he stripped Scorpius and plopped him into the small claw-foot bathtub despite his shrieks that indicated how cold the ceramic felt against his flushed skin. Draco ran the water angrily, making sure it was warm. Then Scorpius calmed down and splashed about as bubbles started to rise up to his chest. He liked baths as much as he liked getting dirty. He let his father grab the green sponge and scrub his little fingers and toes vigorously. "Daddy?"

"What?"

"I'm glad Mr. Potter comes over to play with me."

Draco stopped for a second to glance up at Scorpius' smile. "I know," he murmured.

"He's nice, isn't he?"

"Mhm."

"Today, we were trying to catch toads by the pond."

Draco's complexion turned pale, then bright red. "You did what?" he asked in a dangerously low voice.

Scorpius' smile was wiped clean. "Um… Nothing," he squeaked.

"Ugh!" Draco shuddered before letting go of Scorpius' fingers and staggering up to his feet. He started wiping his hands on his jeans in a fervent attempt to get them dry as he shuddered again.

"It's okay, Father," Scorpius rushed to say. "I couldn't catch any. I don't have warts."

Draco was already at the sink by then and he was washing his palms with generous amounts of soap, not minding the fact that his skin was practically boiling from the heat of the water. "I swear to Merlin I'm killing Potter today," he kept muttering under his breath.

"I didn't touch one, Daddy!" Scorpius said desperately, his anxious fingers now clutching the end of the tub. "It's okay."

"Toads are filthy and full of diseases. Do you understand, Scorpius?" Draco bit out.

"I know. I won't touch one. I swear."

"I can't stand toads," Draco added after finally shutting off the tap and wiping his raw hands on a clean towel hanging by the door. "Animals at the park should be left alone. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Father."

Draco sighed and turned around to face his son. "Scorpius."

"I won't. I won't touch one."

"Why are your eyes watering?"

"Because." Scorpius quickly dunked his head under the water and then came back up so his tears were hidden.

Draco clicked his tongue in exasperation as he walked over to the bathtub and knelt down. Scorpius was trying very hard not to show his pinched expression. He kept his head down and cupped white foamy bubbles in his hands. He didn't like it when his father talked to him like that. It made him very sad and angry. He blinked back more tears, stiffening when he felt the sponge pressing against his shoulder. He sniffed and tilted his head to the side, letting Draco continue bathing him.

"What else did you do?" Draco asked quietly.

"Nothing…" Scorpius replied. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

"Tell me."

"I didn't do anything else."

"Please?"

Scorpius quickly turned his back to Draco and hid his face in his hands.

Draco chewed on his cheek as guilt crept up on him. He knew coaxing his son to talk would not help. He let it be for the moment. Scorpius squeezed his eyes shut as water poured over his hair. The smell of apples floated around him as Draco shampooed his hair gently. He cried for a little while but sat very still so his father wouldn't get mad at him again. He didn't feel like crying a lot because he knew that Draco had a point. He knew things at the park were full of germs and that they could make him sick. He knew Draco was right. After a few tears, he was fine. By then, his hair was all washed up and his back was clean as well. He finally turned around after drying his face as best he could with his wet hands. "I won't, Father," he told Draco.

Draco practically buckled under his guilt. Potter had another thing coming his way, that was for sure. "I'm sorry, Scorp," he apologized hesitantly. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

Scorpius smiled. "It's okay," he reassured his father. "I know." He sniffed one last time before getting over it. "Okay. So me and Harry went to the park and we played with the ball for a little bit. I even caught it. We played a game where we have to bounce the ball _once_ and then catch it. I did it!"

"Oh, wow," Draco acknowledged. "All you needed was some practice."

"Then Harry accidently threw it too far and it fell in the pond. That's when we saw the toad. It was sitting on a big lily pad, going, 'Ribbit. Ribbit.' It was just like in the books. It was big and ugly and brown. Harry said that I could bring a toad to Hogwarts. But I think I want an owl like yours. We tried to catch it, but it's _so_ fast. It was hopping all about. That's how we got dirty."

"I see."

"And, after, when we lost the toad, Harry showed me Horklumps. They're all around the pond, like pink mushrooms. They tickle when you touch them. They've got these little brushes at the very top. Harry says no one likes Horklumps much because they're so pesky. But they're just plants, Dad. How can plants be pesky?"

"Some plants grow in places people don't want them to grow. That makes them pesky. Horklumps are _very_ irritating."

"Oh… Hmm." Scorpius thought it over for a bit before nodding. "I get it. Like weeds, right?"

"Exactly."

"Well, _I_ think they're alright. I think it's bad that people don't like Horklumps."

Once the bath was over and Scorpius was out of the tub, Draco rubbed him dry quickly with a fluffy white towel. Scorpius didn't like it when a drying spell was cast on him because it made his skin crawl and made him shiver uncontrollably. He was fine if his hair was damp for a while. He liked to feel squeaky-clean. He wrapped the towel around his waist even though it pooled past his feet and onto the floor as Draco gently patted his hair to get some of the water out. That's when he looked up at the doorway and found Harry leaning against the doorjamb with his arms against his chest, his own hair damp and messy, and a small smile on his lips. "You're all clean too," Scorpius noted. "That's good, Harry. Why are you wearing Father's clothes?"

Draco glanced back in confusion and frowned when he saw Harry wearing a shirt and plaid pajama bottoms that were clearly not his. "Yeah. What _are_ you doing in my clothes?" he asked.

"I haven't got anything else," Harry grumbled. "You were the one who wanted everything spotless."

"That doesn't mean you can wear my clothes."

"Would you like to me wear what I wore to the park, then?"

Draco wrinkled his nose and refused to dignify that with a response.

Dinner was a torrid affair. Draco's sullen mood eased up when he saw that Harry had cleaned up all the mud after his shower, so he wasn't scowling as much. But his foul mood was cause for much taunting on Harry's part. Scorpius tried quite hard not to burst out laughing when Harry made a face behind Draco's back whenever he got the chance. He had long since gotten used to their bickering and now thought it to be hilarious and very juvenile. He liked seeing his father get all riled up about the silliest things like where the shoes are kept and how the table is set. Comparing Draco with Harry was like comparing oranges with hippogriffs. Harry was _way_ more fun than Draco.

"Teddy's coming home in a month," he announced. Scorpius grinned brightly. "He says he's brought a few surprises for you."

"Knowing him, it's probably sweets," Draco frowned in disapproval.

"You just need to ration it out," Harry suggested. "It's not big deal. Let the kid have some sugar once in a while."

"Yeah!"

Draco narrowed his eyes at Scorpius, who quickly shut up and took a sudden interest in his string beans.

After the hurried meal, Scorpius was ushered into bed by Harry while Draco hid away in the living room to finish up his report. In bed, the boy insisted that his teacher read him more about toads. So they sat against the pillows, looking at pictures and reading about what toads ate and where they lived. Scorpius was tickled by all the pictures. He never knew that those amphibians could look pretty, but there were so many toads in the tropics. He secretly wanted to go all the way down to Africa and see the toads for himself instead of just looking at books.

"Have you seen any colorful ones, Mr. Potter?" he inquired.

"In pet stores, but that's all. I've never traveled anywhere," Harry told him.

"We'll go together?"

Harry smiled fondly and tilted his head, knocking into Scorpius. "Really?" he asked.

"Yeah," Scorpius nodded. "We'll go together."

"Sounds great."

By the time Scorpius fell asleep, it was just past nine. He was so tired from an evening of excitement that he didn't even stir when Harry slipped out of bed and flicked off the lights.

Padding downstairs, Harry realized that Draco was still in the living room. "Are you done yet?" he asked. He sat on the sofa next to Draco who was busily reading some notes.

"Nope."

He narrowed his eyes. "Are you just saying that because you're mad at me?"

"Yup."

He huffed. "I cleaned up, didn't I? And we already said we were sorry," he argued. "That's got to count for something."

"Nope."

"So… what? You want your shirt back?"

"Yup."

Harry scowled before jerking the shirt off and throwing it at Draco. "Happy?" he snapped.

"The pants too." He pulled Harry into a loud kiss, causing him to fall back against the couch cushions and brace himself on his elbows.

"Malfoy," Harry tsked. "You're working…"

"Right. I was. And now I'm not."

Harry grumbled for a bit before he snaked his arms around Draco's waist and dragged him down. Their lips melded once again, this time with a much softer touch. Draco exhaled into the kiss as he settled against Harry, moving his legs so they ended up tangled with his lover's. His hands rested against Harry's shoulders now, gently massaging and working their way down. He smiled when he felt Harry shiver until him. Playing with Harry was fun, especially since he reacted so blatantly to each tickle and prod.

Harry eventually rested his feet on the couch and trapped Draco between his thighs, hugging him close. Harry _loved_ to hug. Draco had been a bit put off at first, but he had grown accustomed to it. He moved his kisses down to Harry's neck, his eyes fluttering open when he smelt familiar soap. If Harry was trying to get him riled up, it was certainly working. He bit down on the soft skin, miffed that he was being manipulated by a schoolteacher. Harry chuckled and turned his head in an attempt to stop Draco. "Don't do that," he whispered.

"I'll do what I want," Draco retorted.

"It tickles."

Draco bit harder in retaliation.

"Ow," Harry gasped. He squirmed under Draco to get him to stop, which he finally did. They kissed for a few more long minutes afterwards. Then Harry sighed and tilted his head away so he could get a few breaths of fresh air. Draco had his fingers moving through Harry's hair by then, gently tugging and twisting. It was quiet now. Harry looked up at Draco with a small smile. "Hey."

"Hmm?"

"I'm having fun."

Draco smirked. "Me too," he conceded.

"I'm glad."

"Me too."

"And I'm pretty happy right now."

"Come to bed?"

"Not with Scorp in the house," Harry mumbled.

"That's just an excuse. He's asleep."

"I like that excuse."

Draco rolled his eyes. Harry had already used every excuse in the book on him. Twice. "We'll lock the door and throw a couple charms on it. He won't know. You can spend the night…"

"Why?"

Draco flicked his eyes over Harry's face. "Why?" he echoed. "Because I want you to."

"Why?"

"Because I don't like sleeping alone."

Harry shuddered as those words thrilled him. "You're not alone," he murmured.

"You need to hold up your end of the bargain, Harry."

"And what's that?"

"The adult stuff."

"What of it?"

"I want more. That's what's of it."

Harry exhaled in defeat. Adult stuff. He wasn't very good at it – never had been and most likely never would be.

"It's like you only come over to play with Scorpius," Draco continued to complain. "You're having a fling with _me_." He traced a finger over Harry's jaw. "Are you scared?"

"No."

"Then? Are you tired?"

"No…"

"Nervous?"

"Hmm."

"Shall I make you more nervous?"

Harry opened his mouth to furiously object, but his voice caught when Draco kissed him with fervor while tracking his hand down lower and lower still…

* * *

Draco jerked upright in bed when he heard a loud bang against his door.

"DADDY! You locked your room."

He whipped his head to the side to find Harry staring up at him in horror. "Shit," they swore in unison.

The mad scramble that ensued literally lasted seconds, but it felt like ages as they tried to track down their clothes, then realized that Harry didn't _have_ any clothes, then fought _silently_ over who got to wear what, then threatened to punch each other for oversleeping, and _then_ pulled themselves together. Harry raced into the bathroom just as Draco opened the door. "Sorry," he apologized to Scorpius. He had frantically rearranged his panicked expression to resemble something more casual and not as guilt-ridden. "Didn't realize it. What time is it?"

"I don't know," Scorpius shrugged while rubbing his sleepy eyes.

Draco nearly swore again when he glanced at the clock in the hall. Patricia would be there in less than ten minutes and Scorpius hadn't even cleaned himself up yet. He was going to be _so_ late for work now. "Uh, um. Go to the bathroom. Brush your teeth. And you can choose your clothes for today, okay?" he quickly rattled out while ushering his son away from his bedroom. "As fast as you can, Scorp."

"Am I late?" Scorpius asked in confusion.

"Oh, yes. We most certainly are."

"Eep!" Scorpius scurried into his bedroom.

As soon as he heard the door to Scorpius' bathroom thud, Draco hurried in to get Harry. Upon finding him in the master bathroom, he practically dragged the man out. "Scorp's in the bathroom. Patty's going to be here any minute. You need to leave _now_," he hissed, not caring for the fact that Harry was stumbling over his feet behind him. "Quietly."

"In _these_ clothes?" Harry hissed back.

"It's nearly eight thirty," Draco snapped. "These clothes or not, just get back to your house. You'll be late!"

The men jumped when they heard Scorpius yelling, "DADDY," again.

"Oh, you _really_ need to go," Draco groaned as he pushed Harry towards the stairs. "I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Yeah," Harry whispered. He pulled Draco forward to kiss him hurriedly. "Love you."

Draco froze cold.

"DADDY!"

"I-I mean I… Th-that's not wh-what I-"

"I DON'T HAVE A TOWEL!"

"S-sorry. I-I… Forget I said any-"

"DADDY! COME ON!"

"God damn it! Fuck!" Draco swore as he staggered back. How was he supposed to be in all these places at once? "COMING!" he called to his son. "Use the Floo, Potter," he told Harry. "I… I love you too." He disappeared into Scorpius' bedroom.

Harry nearly crumpled to the floor in mortification, but held off on being too dramatic for the moment. Instead, he curled his hands into fists and hit his head repeatedly, muttering, "Stupid, stupid, stupid, fuck, stupid," as he did so. Then he raced down the stairs three at a time, nearly twisting his ankle on the last step. He slashed his wand at the fireplace just as he heard the front door open. He had disappeared from the manor right before Patricia walked into the foyer.

He really did crumple to the floor once he got to his place, though.

He sat there for a good minute, panting and reeling from all the excitement. He pressed a hand to his heart, trying to will it to calm down.

He loved Draco.

"Wow," he breathed.

He looked down at his chest, bunching Draco's shirt in his fingers. He laughed incredulously as he ducked his head and inhaled that vague scent that had long since settled into the fabric. It smelled just like Draco. Everything inside him ached pleasantly. What a weird thing to be doing, falling in love with Malfoy… "Mental," he mumbled as he struggled up to his feet and rushed to his room. He would be damned if the reason he was late for work for the very first time was because of something so weird.


	18. Chapter 18

Harry tossed and turned in his sleep, alternating between kicking the sheets off with his feet and flipping the pillow over to find a cool spot. The problem wasn't his bedclothes, of course, but he felt like deluding himself for a moment longer. He couldn't very well face the fact that he was acting so nervous over seeing Draco again the next morning for the first time since his… impromptu confession.

He hadn't been able to concentrate on school at all that day, often staring off into a distance or being absent-minded enough for Gabrielle to swat his head five times in the span on four hours. He just couldn't get his mind off of Draco and that amazed look on his face from the morning.

'Endearing' was the only word Harry could find to describe it.

He wondered what Draco was doing right then, whether he was having trouble sleeping as well. He doubted it. Nothing fazed Draco, not really. He had been the one to 'profess his love' in a more suave manner while Harry had sputtered his way through it. That was _very _irritating. He punched the mattress with a scowl. Why couldn't he be as put together as Malfoy?

He curled into a sweaty ball and scowled some more. If anyone found out, they would both be dead meat. On top of public humiliation, Harry would see a sudden influx of howlers; he had no doubt about it. Half of it would be from the Weasleys; he had no doubt about that either. He groaned in dismay. Even though he would be yelled and screamed at, he couldn't get Draco out of his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about Malfoy's rushed words and slightly confused expression. He wound his arms around his stomach to calm his fluttering stomach. He really wanted to be in Draco's bed again.

He pulled a face and flipped onto his stomach so he could burrow his head under the pillow. He wasn't supposed to think stuff like that. It was way too juvenile.

* * *

"Father…"

Draco blinked rapidly and focused on Scorpius who was suddenly sitting on his lap, facing him. "What?" he asked, putting away the Prophet that he hadn't really been reading in any case.

Scorpius pressed a hand to Draco's cheek. "What's wrong?" he asked emphatically. "Are you sick again?"

"Sick?"

"You don't look so good."

"I don't?"

Scorpius rested his cheek on Draco's shoulder and hugged him. "Feel better soon," he whispered. "I don't like it when you're sick. You're so sad."

"Sad…" Draco rested a hand against his son's back in puzzlement. "I look sad?"

"I know that's how you _always_ look," Scorpius went on to say. "But you look _extra_ sad now."

Draco laughed incredulously. What did he have to be sad about? He simply had _nothing_ to be sad about right now. Nothing at all. He squeezed Scorpius tight. "I'm not sad," he chuckled. "I'm actually _very_ happy, okay?"

"You look sad when you're happy?"

"Stop being mean."

Scorpius smiled. Now his father sounded normal again. "Well, then you should just _tell_ me when you're feeling happy and sad. I can never tell, Father," he said glibly.

They were interrupted by the doorbell. Scorpius pushed away from Draco and jumped off his lap, racing to open the door for Mr. Potter. "Hello!" he chimed as soon as he clapped eyes on his teacher. "I didn't see you after school yesterday, Harry. Were you really busy?"

"I was," Harry said. "So busy with the pageant. Are you ready for it?"

"Mhm! I don't have any lines! It's great!"

Harry looked up when Draco appeared behind Scorpius. He felt a blush creep up onto his cheeks and ears as he quickly dropped his gaze. "Next year, you can try saying just one line, okay?" he told the boy. "And the year after that, maybe I can help you with a whole paragraph."

"That's way too scary," Scorpius remarked. "No, thank you."

"Scorp, grab some cups and pour out the juice, will you?" Draco interjected.

"Really?" Scorpius squeaked. It wasn't often that he was allowed to do grown-up things like that. "Okay! I won't spill!" He ran into the kitchen without looking back.

Harry exhaled shakily to try and get rid of his nerves. Everything that had happened that evening had made him absent-minded all day long. Now he was back where he started, ready to mumble his way through it all.

He hardly had time to look up before Draco captured his lips in a frantic kiss. He hadn't been expecting that. He sank into it helplessly. Their arms wound against each other so they stood as close as possible. He knew Draco was trying to tell him something and he tried to reciprocate as best he could until they were both breathless. Even when they pulled apart, their foreheads stayed pressed together and their noses touched. Harry kept his eyes still downturned. He didn't know what else to do.

Draco quickly let go of him and moved back, his blush mirroring Harry's. "I-um," he started to speak before swallowing hard to wet his dry throat. "It happens," he said, trying to sound casual. "It's fine." He said those words for himself more than he did for Harry. He shrugged as he pressed his shaky fingers to his lips. "I'm… I'm going to check on Scorp." He staggered out of the foyer, leaving Harry alone.

Harry stood stock-still for a long moment as his heart raced, his stomach twisted up and his hands trembled. Then he quickly shook out of it and brushed his shirt down while attempting to collect himself. His composure had been rattled by that kiss. Draco's response wasn't helping either. It took him a few tries before his feet agreed to move and carry him to the kitchen. This feeling he had was… incredible.

It was a few hours before the men were alone again. Scorpius had fallen asleep after playing in the grounds with them. A light lunch had lulled him into dozing off on the couch. The house suddenly seemed to have grown quieter and much lazier.

Harry smiled to himself as he leaned against the armrest of his chair and shook his head. "It happens, huh?" he finally asked.

"Sure." Draco drew his eyes down to examine his trousers, picking at nonexistent lint. He was sitting beside Scorpius, drawing up the light blanket. "It happens."

"We get along too well."

"We do."

Harry couldn't find much fault in that except for the obvious. "Everyone's going to kill us," he murmured.

"Don't go around blabbing, then."

"Sneak about like usual?"

"It's worked so far."

As much as that thought miffed him, Harry knew it was the best way to handle the situation until the moment. He would have to figure out how his friends would react before exposing something so strange. He knew for a fact that Ginny would blow her top. He wondered what Astoria might think. "Did you tell him yet?" he asked, jerking his head at Scorpius.

Draco shifted in his seat nervously. "What should I say?"

"Good question…"

Scorpius didn't wake up for another couple hours. There was a nice breeze in the living room, so he didn't feel too sticky when he rolled over and forced his eyes to open. He didn't like naps because he felt like he was wasting time sleeping when he could do loads of that at nighttime. He especially didn't like sleeping when he had guests in the house.

He sat up to tilt his head at his father who had just looked up from the book he was reading. Harry was asleep and curled up on the chaise opposite the sofa, his head on Draco's lap. Scorpius wiped the side of his mouth and stretched. What a lazy day. He struggled to get his heavy legs to move, which took a minute. Then he shuffled towards Draco. "Why's Harry sleeping?" he asked.

"He was as tired as you, I suppose," Draco smiled. "Had a good nap?"

"Mhm," Scorpius mumbled absently as he leaned in to stare at Mr. Potter's face. Harry was turned on his side, facing Scorpius. His lips were parted and a soft rumbled escaped with each breath. It was strange seeing Harry sleep. Scorpius knelt down on the floor and rested his elbows on the couch cushion, planting his chin on his hands so he could watch Harry. "Should I wake him up?" he whispered. He kind of wanted to, even if Draco said no. He wanted to play some more. "Mr. Potter?"

Harry twitched and snapped his mouth shut. Then he stretched his legs out before opening his eyes, blinking at Scorpius.

"You were snoring, Harry," Scorpius noted.

"I'd never," Harry mumbled.

"Like this." Scorpius imitated Harry's snores as best he could. "Don't worry," he added. "You were really quiet."

Harry snickered and knocked foreheads with Scorpius. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"I won't," Scorpius promised. "Do you want to sleep some more?"

"Mhm. Don't you?"

The boy shrugged. "I don't know. Is snoring fun?" he inquired.

Harry burst out into more laughter as he reached forward and wrapped his arms around Scorpius, pulling him onto the couch. "Oh man, I love you! You say the silliest things!" he exclaimed. He rolled onto his back and settled Scorpius on his stomach, smiling up at him brightly.

Scorpius' cheeks were aflame. He didn't waste time in pitching forward and hiding his face against Harry's chest. He was so embarrassed. _Harry_ was the silly one, _not_ him! Harry was the one who said the silliest things!

"Shut up, Potter," Draco drawled. Harry really needed to learn to stop startling Scorpius like that. He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms, holding back his amazed sigh and disappointed shake of his head. The boy could only handle so many emotions at a time. He was a Malfoy, after all. Harry always overwhelmed both father and son like this all too often.

Harry tilted his head to frown at Draco. "I'm talking to Scorpius. Not you."

"Shut up, Potter," Scorpius echoed.

"Hey!"

* * *

"Scorp…"

"Hmm?"

Draco had his arm around Scorpius' waist and they were laying down on the small bed, having just finished reading a book. Scorpius was half-asleep with his head on his father's chest. Draco placed the book on the bedside table as he mulled over his next words. "Do you like Harry a lot?" he asked slowly.

"Mhm."

"I do too."

Scorpius curled into Draco more. "I like playing with him," he mumbled.

"Would you mind if he keeps coming over lots?"

"No."

"Would you mind if I… liked him enough to hug him?"

Scorpius looked up dubiously. "Really?"

"You like him enough to hug him, don't you?"

"Well…" Scorpius did. He liked hugging Mr. Potter. He was nice and warm. But he couldn't _ever_ imagine his father hugging Mr. Potter. That was too strange. "Does _he_ like to hug you?"

"I think so."

"Because you're being nice to him?"

"Yes."

Scorpius was satisfied with that answer. "Keep being nice to him, okay? As long as he's nice to you, you should be nice to him too," he said.

Draco couldn't bring himself to ask Scorpius what he had really wanted to ask – if his relationship with Harry was alright. He didn't know what to do if Scorpius said no… Or yes, for that matter. What if Scorpius didn't mind at all? What if everything fell apart tomorrow?

* * *

Harry had been awake for a good hour before he even tried to sit up. The bedroom was dark, but the dawning daylight was just enough so he could make out shapes. He gingerly scooted to the edge of the bed and tested the ground with his feet, glad that the wood wasn't freezing cold. He stood up on wobbly knees, staggering about for a bit before catching his balance. His hips ached like never before. Draco had been a bit too enthusiastic.

He glanced back when he heard a quiet snicker. "Oh, go away," he muttered. He found his boxer shorts by his feet and stepped into them, groaning as his muscles ached. He really did need to shape up.

Draco was on his side with an elbow on the pillow and his head tilted to the side, a lazy smile present at his lips. "I didn't tire you out, did I?" he taunted lightly.

If Harry had been able to move more, he would have grabbed that empty glass cup from the bedside table and chucked it at Draco. But he couldn't. So he didn't. He ignored the comment instead and tugged his crumpled shirt on with some difficulty. He never left with a good night's rest when he spent an evening with Draco. "I just wish you'd let me sleep sometimes, you know," he groused.

Draco stared at Harry's back for a long while, watching him get dressed. He rather appreciated the teacher's lithe body. "Would you like to?" he asked.

"Hmm?"

"Would you like to sleep sometimes?"

Harry huffed. "Well, of course. I don't run on five hours of sleep like you do," he complained. After a bit of a hunt, he found his socks and sat on the bed to put them on. "I don't know how you do it. Then again, _I'm_ the one who needs to run after kids every day. You just sit behind a desk pushing papers around. Obviously I need-" He broke off when cold arms wound around his stomach from behind, pushing up his shirt a bit. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing."

Harry knew it wasn't 'nothing'. Draco never hugged him for 'nothing'. He craned his neck around to look at the top of Draco's head. His face was hidden because it was pressed against Harry's shoulder blade. "Hey," Harry murmured. "What did you say?"

"I don't know."

Harry rested his hand atop Draco's. "Would I like to sleep sometimes, you asked…"

"Hmm."

"Wow, you're such a priss," Harry muttered under his breath, turning in Draco's arms and kissing him fiercely, tumbling into bed once again.

* * *

Scorpius splashed his feet in the water, watching small drops land on his shorts. The water was just cold enough and he could feel small fish and reeds brushing against his toes. He was tuckered out from those long treks up and down hills. The sun was setting now and there were plenty of other people around the docks, watching the colorful clouds with their families. He looked up when Harry sat down next to him, handing over a lime ice-lolly he had bought from a vendor up the shore. Summertime.

Scorpius couldn't believe how much his life had changed since he met Harry Potter. Everyone had been right all along. Harry was the coolest person. It was scary how nice he was being. It was even scarier because he was nicer to Scorpius and Draco than he was with anyone else. Sure, he smiled at everyone and everyone liked him, but he seemed to like the Malfoys the best. Scorpius glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

Harry smiled and asked, "What?"

"Do you love Father too?" Scorpius wondered quietly.

Harry arched a brow, looking down at Scorpius as his smile turned into a smirk. "What a strange question to ask," he murmured.

Scorpius blushed and quickly ducked his head, berating himself for being such a child. The only explanation he could come up for Harry being so nice to them was that he liked them better than anyone else. And when someone liked something _that_ much, it turned into love. Harry had already said that he loved Scorpius. Scorpius didn't think he loved Harry. At least not yet. Or maybe he did. He couldn't know. He kicked the water. He was just a little boy. He didn't know anything yet.

"Remember how you asked me that time if you were my favorite?"

"Mhm," Scorpius mumbled.

"I think you and Draco might be now."

He slumped even further into himself in embarrassment. He heard Harry laugh, as he always did, and let himself get wrapped in a half-hug. He ended up leaning against Harry, a hand resting on his teacher's lap and the other holding his popsicle tight. He felt like crying and he didn't even know why. He watched the sun go down with Harry. Soft lights flickered around the lake to ward off the darkness. Laughter and chatter floated around them as everyone enjoyed the rolling waters and cool evening breeze. Harry had changed everything in Scorpius' life. Harry was like magic. Scorpius felt his chest tighten. His hand curled into a fist on Harry's knee and he swallowed hard. "I love you," he whispered.

"Did you say something?"

Scorpius shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. "Nothing."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Harry smiled guiltily and tilted his head down, resting his chin against the crown of Scorpius' head. "Sorry. I heard you," he confessed. "I just wanted to hear you say it again."

Scorpius groaned in dismay. Mr. Potter was so mean!

"Will you say it again for me?"

"No," Scorpius snapped. He jabbed Harry's leg with his finger in irritation.

"Thank you, Scorpius. Truly."

"Go away. Don't tell Father I said anything."

Harry grinned. Once a Malfoy, always a Malfoy. Really, both of them were too much fun to tease. "Whatever shall I do with you two?" he sighed.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:** I'm moving things along in this chapter, so expect a _bit_ more drama starting now :D

* * *

Harry caressed the back of Draco's neck with his warm fingers. "You know what we should do?" he whispered. Draco didn't know, so he waited for Harry to continue. "We should run away."

"What?" Draco murmured. He kept his eyes closed, but he could feel Harry's breath against his cheek.

"Run away with Scorp and _never_ look back."

"Hmm."

"Don't you want to?"

"I do."

"With me?"

Draco jerked awake when a loud twang reverberated in his ear painfully, as though something had been slammed against metal. He whipped his eyes around as he quickly returned to the present. He was in that familiar interrogation room again. But he had been in there for much too long. Too many hours. Something was wrong… He looked up at the two Aurors that were taking their seats on the other end of the interrogation table, files in hand and hard expressions on their faces. Whenever Draco was put in a room with Aurors, he knew something wasn't right. Usually Hit wizards were the ones questioning him. He was immensely glad that Harry was taking care of Scorpius at the moment. The poor boy must be having a fit. "What time is it?" Draco asked hoarsely.

"Five past eleven."

He clenched his jaw to hold back sharp words. He had been there for nearly six hours. "Are you detaining me for any particular reason?" he asked. No one had talked to him since he had been brought into the room.

"This is in relation to an incident that occurred in Cardiff Tuesday night. Standard procedure, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco nearly snorted in derision. Standard. What was so standard about this? "When?"

"Between ten at night and one in the morning."

Draco sputtered. "Are you serious?" he snapped.

"You know how this goes, Mr. Malfoy."

"How am I supposed to do that? I was asleep. I'm always asleep at that time. Can you honestly place me in Cardiff if I was sleeping in my own bed?"

"We're searching all possible avenues."

Draco rubbed his heavy eyes. "Look, I've been telling you for years now, I'm not part of the Dark Army anymore. You haven't got the evidence, so stop indicting me."

"We have witnesses placing you at the scene."

His jaw dropped. Witnesses? "Who?" he asked.

"That is obviously confidential."

"Who was it?"

"Mr. Malfoy…"

"Do you have _any_ record of me breaking the law over the past decade?" Draco seethed. "Do you have any substance in your case?"

"You are being defensive."

"OF COURSE I'M BEING DEFENSIVE!"

"It's not baseless accusations, Mr. Malfoy. We've taken statements from the witness that we believe to be true."

"But that's just not possible!"

"All we require you to do is provide us with your own statement that proves otherwise. You may submit to Veritaserum testing or provide us with your memory, along with an affidavit that absolves you. It is the simple course of action."

"Simple?" Draco seethed.

The Aurors glanced at each other with a loaded look, as though they had been expecting such an upheaval. Draco started to realize that he was panicking now. They had 'evidence' against him, apparently. Now they would want to look at his memories and feed him that blasted truth serum and…

Tuesday night.

"W-wait," he stammered. "I-I have an alibi."

"Go on."

Draco dug his fingers into his knees. Anything but the truth serum. "Harry Potter," he said.

The Aurors blinked at him in disbelief. "Beg your pardon?"

"Harry Potter," Draco repeated.

"Harry Potter?"

"Yes."

"Is he your alibi?"

"He'd vouch for me," Draco argued boldly.

The Aurors couldn't seem to grasp Draco's words. "Why does this sound like an outrageous claim to me? Are you trying to lead us on a goose chase?"

Draco huffed. Nothing he said was good enough. "Look, Potter and I've known each other for years," he muttered. "Just ask him."

After a moment of deliberation, the Aurors got up and left without saying another word, locking Draco in the room once again. He dropped his head on the table and curled his arms around them. Harry was going to kill him now…

* * *

Harry had hardly slept the night before, so his temperament was unusual and his imagination was running away from him. He hadn't heard from Draco since that note from hours ago asking him to take care of Scorpius. Few hours. He scoffed. He was immensely glad that Scorpius wasn't suspecting too much. With Teddy around, Scorpius had been kept occupied.

Harry was pacing the living room, thinking up the worst situation possible when the doorbell rang at seven in the morning. Thankfully Teddy and Scorpius were still asleep. He practically ran to the door.

His disappointment must have been plainly written on his face because the Aurors that stood at his doorstep nearly took a step back. "Uh, um. Mr. Potter?"

Harry quickly rearranged his expression as he realized who his visitors were. His heart sank. "Yes," he said.

"We're sorry to bother you so early in the morning, but… we do require you to come down to the Ministry with us."

"What for?" Harry asked, although he knew.

"Well… It's regarding Draco Malfoy. Do you know him?"

"_No matter what happens, you are not allowed to tell anyone about us. I'll be hung out to dry for corrupting everyone's precious Savior."_

Harry massaged his aching temple. "Yeah. I know him," he mumbled. "Um… Just… Give me a minute, will you?"

* * *

Draco stopped his pacing when the door opened to reveal a Hit wizard. "You are free to go, Mr. Malfoy," the officer said curtly.

"About time," Draco muttered. He was minutes away from a mental breakdown and he would hate to give those Aurors the satisfaction. He knew he could be detained for twenty-four hours without reason because of his criminal record. He just never realized that things would come to that. He snatched his coat off the chair and stalked out, making sure to glare at the Hit wizard as hard as he could. It was the least he could do. He felt much too helpless otherwise.

He staggered to a halt when he was met with Harry who was leaning against the wall opposite the door, fiddling with the strap on his messenger bag. They blinked at each other for a moment, but Draco quickly gathered his wits. "Potter," he murmured.

"Malfoy."

Draco was suddenly aware of the glances he was getting. No doubt news of the arrival of Harry Potter had traveled through the Ministry like wildfire. He shook off his trepidation, keeping his usual mask in place. It wasn't hard to do at all since he was immensely irritated and angry at the moment, in any case. His scowl came naturally to him. "You didn't have to wait," he said.

"I didn't have much else to do."

"I see."

"How are you?"

"Fine."

Harry smiled at him and didn't press on. He tilted his head to the side before pushing off the wall, gesturing for Draco to lead the way. Some whispers followed them along the unmarked, winding corridors. Harry hung back on purpose, his hands sliding in his pockets and his eyes trained on the back of Draco's head. Draco refused to show his lethargy in front of those Ministry officials. He'd be damned if he let them break him. Once they had turned towards the elevators, the stares started to lessen, which made Draco relax more. After they were on the elevator and on the way out of the Ministry, no one looked twice. The morning bustle made Draco and Harry virtually invisible. They were just part of the crowd.

Harry reached forward and slipped his hand into Draco's. Draco twisted out of the grip, sliding his hands into his pockets instead. "What did you tell them?" he finally asked.

"That I'd vouch for you."

Draco gritted his teeth and winced. Everything in him had unsettled and restlessness was making his hands tremble. He was glad when he got his wand back before he stepped out the building he loved to loath. Was this really any better than taking Veritaserum? He was starting to wonder now…

Harry glanced at Draco, feeling an overwhelming rush of sympathy. It wasn't often that he saw Draco like this, defeated. At the moment, he was keeping his anger in check as well. When he had been asked to confirm Draco's alibi, it had taken all his power to not throw a royal fit. If the Aurors had been anything but polite and hesitant, Harry would have no doubt demanded Draco be released at once. But his intention wasn't to make more of a scene than he had already. He had answered their questions as concisely as possible, all of which took no more than twenty minutes. But releasing Draco took another hour. It was ridiculous. He couldn't begin to imagine how humiliating the whole ordeal must have been for Draco.

"Hey. Draco?"

"What?"

"Cheer up?"

Draco finally smiled. He peeked at Harry out of the corner of his eye. "Talk like that isn't helping this situation one bit, Potter," he murmured. "I'm just… tired."

"I know." Harry pulled Draco along as he apparated to 12 Grimmauld Place. "You worry too much. I can do what I want. I'm _allowed_ to do what I want. I'm-"

"Harry Potter. I know."

"Good." He opened the door and tugged Draco in, smiles widening on both of them when they heard the loud patter of feet racing towards them.

* * *

Scorpius was practically buzzing with excitement as he picked his little legs up on his walk up a gravely path in the middle of a countryside he had never seen. Teddy was already so far ahead, running up the slope with purpose. Harry followed casually, obviously enjoying the summer wind in his hair and the sunshine on his face. Scorpius had no idea where they were going because it was supposed to be a surprise. That morning, Harry had come over and said that they were going out for the day and that it was going to be a lot of fun, so he had to wear light clothes and bring lots of water.

Draco was trailing behind. He'd rather be at home, cool and dry. Instead he was trudging up a godforsaken _mountain_ because Potter was so damned adamant and wouldn't let him be. His hair stuck to the back of his neck and he was wearing the _ugliest_ clothes in existence. He looked down at himself and cringed. Harry had picked it out for him and would not hear a no for an answer. Honestly. _Shorts_? Whoever thought of this indecent rubbish for grown men? _Khaki_ shorts, on top of everything else. They were so thoroughly _Muggle_. And he had been made to wear a grey short-sleeved cotton shirt that showed, rather prominently, the Dark Mark that he strove to cover every day of his life.

Harry turned around to look down at the Malfoys by shielding his eyes from the son with one hand and raising the other hand in a short wave. Scorpius waved back happily.

Draco, however, stopped short, his patience suddenly snapping. He spun right back around and stomped down the hill, feeling immensely satisfied when he heard Harry yelp an exclamation. He would go no further. He was going home, getting out of that disgusting outfit, having a nice cold shower, and reading his book in peace.

He was stopped by Scorpius tugging at his shirt. "_You_ said tantrums are _not_ allowed," the boy scolded. He wrapped his fingers around Draco's hand and pulled him up the hill again. "Harry said it's going to be fun, so it's going to be fun."

"That's not how it works," Draco snapped. "His idea of fun and mine are _very_ different. I'm going home."

Scorpius set his jaw firmly. "Fine. If you're going home, then I'm going home too," he muttered.

Harry had caught up to them by then, skidding to a halt beside them. "What's going on?" he asked hurriedly.

"We're going home," Scorpius said. Then he turned around and started walking down the path.

"But it's just up the way!" Harry exclaimed. "We're almost there already!"

Draco snapped out of his shock and reached forward, grabbing Scorpius by the shirt and dragging him back. Scorpius scowled up at Draco and said, "If you're going home, then I am too. I want to spend the day with_ you_."

"No one's going home!" Harry growled as he dug his fingers into Draco's arm and jerked him forward. Scorpius had to follow since Draco still held onto his shirt reflexively. Neither Malfoy uttered a word as they stumbled over stone. "You two _really_ know how to get under my skin," the teacher muttered. Teddy was already up at the top of the hill, clutching his stomach and laughing at the scene he was privy to. "I don't want either of you whining for the next two hours. Got it?"

Scorpius was tempted to say that his father had started it, but he kept his mouth shut. Draco was too miffed to do anything but follow sullenly. It seemed as though he was always being pushed around nowadays.

"Come on! We're here!" Teddy shouted down before disappearing down the other side of the knoll.

"But where are we going?" Scorpius asked Harry for the umpteenth time.

"I said it was a surprise, didn't I?"

"Why is it a surprise?"

"Because I want it to be a surprise."

"I hate surprises," Draco grumbled under his breath. He went unheard.

By then, Scorpius could hear faint music and muffled clatter. His curiosity piqued, he wriggled out of his father's grasp and ran up ahead, trying to catch up to his cousin. Harry waved him along when he looked back to make sure it was okay to go. Draco wrenched his arm away then. Harry frowned at him. "What's your problem?" he wanted to know.

"You."

"Oh, come on," Harry sighed. He wound an arm around Draco's shoulder. "Tell me."

"Where are we going?"

Harry knocked his head against Draco's. "Is that what's wrong?" he asked.

Draco kicked at some stones and didn't say anything.

"You want to know where we are going?" Harry pressed on. "Is that what's wrong?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"I don't know."

"You don't feel like coming along?"

"I don't."

"What would you rather be doing?"

"Anything but this."

"You're being a tad dramatic."

Draco knew that and that only made him more irritable. "Scorpius would have more fun with you in any case," he mumbled. "I didn't have to come along."

"Don't say that," Harry tsked. "You hear him say he wanted to spend the day with you."

"Hmm."

"He means it, you know? He really does like having you around. He wants to show you off, I bet."

Draco glanced at Harry incredulously.

"What's wrong with that?" Harry asked, laughing at Draco's surprise. "He's allowed to do that, isn't he? You show him off, don't you?"

"That's… different."

They reached the top of the hill. Draco's brows arched when he saw the fanfare down on the field. The large fairground was teeming, white tents scattered around banners, people strolling through well-trodden paths on the green grass, smell of sugar and grease wafting, mixed with the sounds of twanging guitars and drums that streamed from the speakers beside the makeshift stage that stood off to one side of the ground.

"How does it look?" Harry beamed. "It's a Muggle festival!"

Draco shook his head in defeat, much too tired to argue anymore. He should have known Potter would pull a quick one on him. It had only been a matter of time, actually… He let Harry usher him along down the hill as he watched Teddy and Scorpius run towards the bustle, already having honed in on the ice-cream stall.

* * *

Scorpius and Teddy were huddled close to the fire, examining their pieces of parchment carefully. Teddy had bought trick parchment at George's shop. When you look at it with a plain eye, it appeared blank. But if you held it close to fire and waited for ten seconds before studying the parchment again, you'd see scrolling green letters that told a secret. Teddy and Scorpius had nearly burnt the parchments twice already and they still couldn't find any writing.

"I think they've played a mean joke on you," Scorpius bemoaned.

"I'm not giving up yet," Teddy said with a firm nod. "George never lies."

"Oh, _really_?"

"He never lies to me," Teddy clarified.

"Oh, _really_?"

"He never lies to me about stuff like this."

"Oh, _re_-"

"Shut up." Teddy smacked Scorpius over the head. "I've already wasted ten sickles on this stupid thing. I don't want you making me feel any worse."

"Father says-"

"Your father says _many_ things. I don't want to hear it."

Scorpius smiled slyly. "Well, _Harry_ says-"

"I don't want to hear _that_ either," Teddy scowled.

Scorpius laughed and nodded in surrender. "Okay. No one said _anything_ at all," he seceded. "Besides, we-"

Their banter was interrupted when the fire whooshed unexpectedly, turning bright green and causing the children to fall backwards, away from the heat and light. Out stepped a rather sooty Hermione and Ron, practically tripping over Teddy and Scorpius in their excitement to get out of the fireplace. Scorpius coughed as he inhaled some of the black smoke while Teddy frantically swatted at his hair that was on fire.

"Oh!" Ron exclaimed. That was all the explanation the adults provided before they scurried out of the living room, evidently in search of Harry.

They found him in the kitchen getting lunch ready. He didn't even have time to voice his surprise as Ron rushed at him, grabbed the spoon out of his hand, pushed him towards the counter, thrust a Quibbler at him, and Hermione locked the door with a swish of her wand, muffling the room in the process. Scorpius and Teddy pressed their ears to the door, straining to hear.

"Wh-what's going on?" Harry stammered as he looked down at the magazine. He gasped as he saw the photograph on the cover, then slapped a hand to his mouth to stifle his squeak, looking up at Hermione and Ron in horror.

"WHAT IS THAT?" Hermione shrieked, pointing at the Quibbler as though it were the most freakish thing she had ever beheld.

Harry had no words to excuse himself out of this one because the photograph quite clearly showed him lounging on the grass with Draco, who was lobbing an apple at Teddy while Scorpius looked off into the distance, scratching his cheek absently.

Really, all he could do was laugh.

With his hand still pressed to his mouth, he laughed in hysteria. He was in _so much trouble_! He looked down at the picture again, his eyes tearing up as he took in all the little details. Whoever had captured the picture had managed to get them just right. Teddy's shirt was all askew and muddy, and his shoelaces were undone and trailing in the grass. Scorpius was flushed from the heat, but he still looked pretty as a picture. Draco was in the middle of saying something to Teddy as he tossed the apple with a lazy flick of his wrist. Harry was in his own world, smiling at Teddy and then tilting his head up towards the sun, closing his eyes lightly.

Across the top ran a flashing red heading that read, 'A PICTURE PERFECT DAY FOR THE BOY-WHO-LIVED'.


	20. Chapter 20

He wrenched the magazine open and hurriedly flipped to the middle where the feature spread was written for all to see. There were so many more pictures inside, three pages of them. He had tears in his eyes again as he looked through them. He couldn't possibly use the argument, 'It's not what it looks like'. In fact, it was _exactly_ what it looked like.

His pulse was running away on him as he smiled at a photo of Draco and Scorpius kneeling beside a spotted lamb in the petting zoo. Scorpius had had to coax Draco into entering the pen, let alone touch the animals. The Malfoys had enthralled one particular lamb as it had come up to them without much prompt, eager to be held. The photographer had caught that moment when Scorpius picked up the lamb and Draco hesitantly touched its soft head with the back of his hand.

Underneath was a caption that said, 'Death Eaters have soft spots too. Draco Malfoy with his son, Scorpius.'

Draco was going to throw a royal fit…

As the front door flung open with a loud bang, everyone jumped in fright.

When Harry skidded to a halt at the foyer, a shoe was already flying towards his head. He ducked in time to dodge it, but he was still hit by the next shoe that followed that headed straight for his stomach. "Oof!" he coughed, cowering as more shoes rained on him.

"You. Bloody. Bastard!" Draco punctuated each word with a projectile. "You. Bloody. Idiot!"

"I didn't know! I didn't do it!" Harry tried to dodge his way through. Draco had moved on from shoes to the next thing he could get his hands on, which were umbrellas and book bags. Harry had to resort to magic to stop from getting an eye poked out. He swept his hand to the side, sending all the flying objects away. He finally managed to get to Draco and restrain him against the wall so he wouldn't go hunting for more things to throw. Draco's heart was beating so fast and hard that Harry could feel it in his own chest.

Draco shoved him away angrily. "What am I supposed to do now?" he hissed.

"It wasn't me," Harry maintained. "I didn't know, okay? I'm sorry. I didn't."

Draco spun around so he wouldn't have to look at Harry because he knew he'd end up wailing on the man if they faced each other for much longer. He pressed his hands against his temples while his mind raced through too many possible his life could change into because of a moronic photographer who had no clue what the word 'privacy' meant.

Harry swallowed hard and nervously rolled up the magazine in his hands. "They're rather good pictures, Draco," he murmured. "Have you taken a look at them?"

"Can't. I'll throw up."

"What pictures?" Teddy asked excitedly. He loved drama and there seemed to be a whole lot of that happening in the foyer. He wasted no time in hurrying up to the men and snatching the magazine away from Harry's fingers. "Oh! Whoa! Look at that!" he gasped in awe. He held the Quibbler out for Scorpius to see. The boy had ventured into the hallway, slinking between Ron and Hermione who didn't dare step past the doorway. "It's us, Scorp! We look grand!" Teddy declared. He quickly found his way to the feature article, his eyes popping out when he saw more pictures. "Did you even know they were taking pictures?" he asked in disbelief. "I had no idea!"

"B-but why am _I_ in _here_?" Scorpius stammered.

"Oh, Harry's on here loads of times," Teddy said flippantly. "In fact, I've been on here a few times myself. They love Harry. You're famous now, Scorpius! Isn't that great?"

Scorpius didn't think it was all that great because his father was looking rather awful at the moment. "Father? Are you alright?" he asked.

"No."

"Did you throw all those things just now?"

Draco dragged a hand through his hair. Deep down, he was sort of glad that Harry wasn't having a fit like he was. One of them needed to be levelheaded at that moment. Ignoring Scorpius' question, he turned his attention to Harry. "What do we do now?" he asked.

"Um…"

Ron and Hermione were still trying to get their bearings. Teddy was gushing over the photographs. Scorpius wasn't really sure _what_ to think yet. He stayed close to Teddy, his eyes round and his mouth open as he took in his fifteen minutes of fame.

"H-how long have you two been… um…" Hermione trailed off, gesturing vaguely instead to finish off her question.

"Er… Seven months, I think," Harry answered. "Right?" He looked to Draco for confirmation. Draco responded with pursed lips and flaring nostrils. "Yeah," Harry mumbled. "I think so."

"AH!" Teddy exclaimed, suddenly having caught on. He staggered back in his usual theatric fashion, dropping the magazine and pointing an accusatory finger at Harry and Draco. "Y-you-you-y-you-you-you're-you're _what_? YOU'RE WHAT? YOU'RE WHAT? YOU'RE _WHAT_?"

"What's happening?" Scorpius asked helplessly. He was at a complete loss. Something was going on and he was the only one who didn't seem to know what to do about it.

"They're _dating_!" Teddy screeched. "THEY'RE DATING!"

Scorpius frowned. "Dating?" he echoed. He knew what that meant. But what did that have to do with his father?

Draco kept his eyes on Scorpius. He could almost hear the tiny cogs in his son's head grinding hard to figure out the meaning of all this. Scorpius was staring at the magazine that lay face up on the floor. The photographs continued to move almost idly. His hands that were at his side were balled into fists and his teeth were furiously worrying his bottom lip. Dating. Dating happened when someone liked someone else and they went out for dinner and stuff. The photos looked nice. He had never really seen himself in photos before. No one ever took pictures of him. They had had a fun day at the fair. That's where the pictures were taken. But what did that have to do with dating? One of the photos showed Draco laughing at Harry who had been drenched by a sprinkler that a clown had pulled out of his sleeve. That had been too funny. Harry hadn't even seen it coming. And… 'they're dating' means Harry and Draco are dating. So then…

He gasped in sudden revelation and looked up at Draco in wonder. "You're dating Harry?" he breathed.

Hermione glanced at her husband. When she had first seen the Quibbler, she had seen red. It wasn't so much shock as it was anger that made her storm into Harry's home uninvited. She couldn't believe her eyes and she couldn't believe Harry would betray her like this. With each fierce step towards Harry, she had become more and more sure that Malfoy was going to see the wrong side of her wand and that he would _never_ forget this day.

She wasn't so sure now…

"Can I see?" she hesitated.

Scorpius held the Quibbler up, but she knelt next to him instead so they could examine the photographs together. "We went to a fair yesterday," he explained. "It was a Muggle fair. See?"

Hermione did see. She didn't really understand _what_ she was seeing, but she did see. She saw exactly what the heading had read – a picture perfect day. She looked back at Harry who was watching her every expression with carefully guarded eyes, his posture a bit defensive and tense for obvious reasons. She looked at Draco as well. She hadn't seen him in twelve years, not since after the war. His eyes were downturned and his complexion pallid from nausea, no doubt. Apart from a few faint lines on his forehead, he looked much the same as he still wore suits and slicked his hair back. Seeing Scorpius and Draco side-by-side really left no doubt in anyone's mind about their relation. She returned her attention to the photos again, reading snippets of curly words as she looked through them. The article pretty much spoke for itself. Harry and Draco were together and they looked happy that way. It was as simple as that.

She flicked her eyes at them again. "How on Earth do you make it work?" she yearned to know.

Draco flinched and Harry suddenly busied himself by picking at his hangnail. "We just… yell a lot," he mumbled. "I don't know."

"Seven months?"

"Are you okay with this, Hermione?" Harry faltered.

"I-um… I just… It's so hard to comprehend, Harry," she said. "I don't know. This… How… I don't know." She tilted her head at Ron who was red in the face and seemed ready to blow a fuse at the slightest provocation. "Come take a look at this," she urged as she got up and gestured at the magazine.

While the Weasleys looked through all of the incriminating photographs, Teddy stomped towards his godfather and planted himself there with his hands at his hips. Harry smiled at him apologetically. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Ted. But… You know how everyone likes to make a big deal out of the stuff I do, right? I didn't want them to do that this time around," he explained. "I'm sorry, okay?"

Teddy threw a dirty look at Harry before turning to Draco. "Are you sorry too?" he snarled.

"What for?" Draco growled back.

Teddy kicked Draco's shin, earning a sharp bark from Harry. The boy seethed, his hair flickering into orange and then fire red. "I hate you," he spat out before running out of the corridor. His footsteps echoed down the stairwell and he banged the door shut when he got to his room.

"He'll be fine in a bit," Harry said to reassure Scorpius. He hoped to Merlin he wasn't lying about that statement.

"I'm going upstairs too," Scorpius mumbled before running after Teddy.

"I suppose this is as good a way as any to come out, Harry," Hermione sighed. Her sensible mind had finally taken over, making her much calmer and more rational. "I mean, the Quibbler's always taken your best interest at heart. They really have painted a rather pretty picture here." She waved the magazine around.

"This is not the time to be reasonable!" Ron argued with his wife. "Look at them. I mean, _look at them_. Do you have a death wish, Harry? Because my brothers are going to _murder_ you!"

"Understandably, yes," Harry seceded. "But I haven't _done_ anything. I'm just minding my own business, aren't I? It's my life, isn't it? I haven't broken any rules at all." He and Draco exchanged a loaded look but he knew that Draco had calmed down for now. He didn't want to wait around for the Malfoy to get his second wind. "Let's talk in the drawing room, okay?" he announced.

A few minutes later, the four of them were seated on the musty couches, eyeing each other carefully. Draco looked sour as he crossed his arms against his chest and frowned at Ron who was too busy frowning at Harry to notice. Hermione sat on the edge of her seat, waiting to hear an explanation while Harry darted his eyes at all of them, trying to gauge the atmosphere. There was just silence for a few moments before Hermione broke it by clearing her throat. All three men turned their attention to her. She nodded at Harry, urging him to begin.

Harry shifted on the couch and pressed his hands against his knees. "Well, you see… I… um… Well, Draco and I have been together for a little while now," he started. "And it's working out alright, so… you don't have to worry about me, okay?"

"I'm… I'm sorry to sound insensitive, Harry," Hermione began, glancing at Draco as well before continuing on. "But you need to take into account the reactions you'll be getting from people who… aren't as forgiving as your friends. Like your work, for instance. Both of you, in fact. Have you thought of that?"

Neither man had an excuse to give.

Her fingers twisted into each other as her brows furrowed. "It's just that… Well, you _know_ what people will say. I know you don't mind losing friends, Harry, but you'll be losing your future too. People will take this the wrong way. They'll think you're fraternizing with the Death Eaters. You could lose your job at school. I can't imagine what parents are going to think. It's going to be hell."

Harry knew all that. "We never expected things to go this far," he said. "I know how bad consequences are."

"Then just stop," Ron urged them. "Before you do anything more damaging, you need to stop. Think of Teddy, what he's got to go through at Hogwarts. Those kids are a bit ruthless. You know that better than anyone else."

Harry slumped against the couch cushions and squeezed his eyes shut. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

"Would you sit back and watch if Ginny did something like this?"

"Did something like what?" Harry spat out. Hearing his friends talk this way about Draco was making his blood boil. "What's wrong with Draco?"

Hermione and Ron exchanged looks. Harry wasn't in the right frame of mind at the moment. If he was infatuated with Malfoy, nothing they said would make him see reason. His skewed sense of morality and stubbornness wouldn't let him see reason, in any case. He wouldn't care if he was being patronizing. He would stay loyal until the bitter end. The Weasleys figured they had done all they could do for now. They got up and mumbled goodbyes, ignoring Draco altogether, and walked out the front door, leaving the house silent.

"Do you really not know what's wrong with me, Potter?"

Harry tsked and shot up to his feet. He needed to clear his head.

Draco pulled him back before he could walk away. "They make sense, don't they?" he murmured.

"No," Harry snipped. "They don't."

"They're right, aren't they?"

Harry shoved Draco back. "Fuck off," he hissed. "Just-"

"Don't tell me to fuck off. This is about _me_."

"So what? You're going to take their advice?" Harry scorned.

"Yes."

He blinked in shock as his heart sank. "What?"

"Yes. I am."

"But that's… You can't…"

"Why not?" Draco asked. "You made the rules, didn't you? You said that if, at any point, I felt uncomfortable with-"

"Th-that doesn't count!"

"You said-"

"THAT DOESN'T COUNT!"

"The idea of you is enticing but it's not practical. You might not have anything to worry about, but _I_ have Scorpius."

"It's _that_ easy for you?"

"I'd said from the start how traditional you were. You already knew I wasn't. It is just _that_ easy. You knew how people would react when they found out. You just didn't want to face the facts. You didn't think of _what_ to do when people reacted that way. _This_ is what we do now that people have found out. It's that simple."

Harry's jaw clenched. Malfoy really did know all the right buttons to push. "Lunch is nearly ready," he muttered, spinning around and stalking out of the living room.

Draco rubbed his eyes, stifling a sigh. He should have known this would happen when he shacked up with blasted Potter. What was he supposed to do now? He wouldn't be able to show his face in public. Harry was being unreasonable as well.

"Daddy?"

He looked up to find Scorpius standing by the doorway, half-hidden by the wall. He rearranged his expression and managed a weak smile. "Hey…" He gestured for his son to come closer. Scorpius shook his head and dropped his gaze to his socked feet. That made Draco's smile disappear. "Scorpius?"

"I don't want Harry to come over to our house anymore," the boy mumbled.

Draco frowned. "Pardon me?"

Scorpius took a deep breath and tried again. "I don't want Harry to come over anymore."

"Because…"

"I don't like him."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "You liked him well enough ten minutes ago… What's happened now?"

"I don't like him anymore and I don't want him to come over."

"I won't listen to you until you tell me why."

"But, Dad-"

"Scorpius."

"If I don't want him to come to my house, he won't," Scorpius declared loudly.

"Inside voice."

"NO! NO INSIDE VOICE! YOU'RE _MY_ FATHER AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO LISTEN TO _ME_. DON'T BE NICE TO HIM EVER AGAIN! I'M GOING HOME!" He ran out of there, much to Draco's shock. He moved to run after his son, but stopped short, his heart sinking deep into the pit of his stomach.

Harry was leaning against the counter, twisting a dishrag in his hands, finally appearing defeated when Draco barged into the kitchen. He was jerked forward and kissed fiercely, but he didn't respond much to Draco's frustration. "Potter?"

"Yeah," Harry murmured. "It's fine." He nudged Draco back.

"Harry…"

"I'm fine. You should go."

Draco didn't know who he disliked more at that moment, Harry or Scorpius. He growled in frustration and rushed after his headstrong son who had already stormed out the front door.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:** Things get worse before they get better, so... you know... don't hold your breath with this chapter

* * *

Andromeda was one of the few people who kept her calm a handful of days after the scandalous report in the Quibbler. She let Harry into her home with a warm and somewhat sympathetic smile, noting his tired demeanor and distracted eyes. She rested a hand against his cheek. "Getting enough sleep?" she wanted to know.

"Enough," Harry murmured with a sheepish shrug. Not a day had gone by yet when he wasn't plagued by people he hardly knew wanting to get a look inside his life that had been so uneventful over the past decade. He was suddenly the most sought out celebrity once again. He was starting to remember why he hated that status, especially now that he had gained a certain level of notoriety. He was practically part of the Dark Army now, after all. It was disgusting how people thought it was their business to butt into his life.

But, right then, he put all that behind him because of one person. Teddy.

The boy had refused to see him for the past week. That was certainly the longest the two had gone without talking to each other. They had been glued at the hip since the end of the war.

He knocked on the door to Teddy's room that was perpetually locked now that the boy was old enough to learn how to cast a charm. "It's me," he called through the door.

Teddy firmly stared out the window and didn't answer.

"Teddy? Please?"

The thirteen year old knew that he had every right to be angry, so he didn't feel bad at all for sulking. Harry had been trying to speak with him every day since the incident at 12 Grimmauld Place. But, the way he saw it, Harry had kept a secret from him for nearly a year. That meant he was allowed to not talk to Harry for nearly a year too. He could do that. He wasn't feeling lonely at all. In fact, he was doing just fine without Harry around.

"I miss you," Harry mumbled, leaning his forehead against the door. He missed Teddy so much that it felt unbearable at the moment. He pursed his lips and exhaled shakily. "I'm sorry, Teddy."

"How much?"

Harry blinked at the door rapidly. "Huh?"

"How much do you miss me?"

"I… M-more than anything."

"Really?"

"Honestly. I miss you more than anything."

Teddy flicked his wand at the door with some hesitance, letting it click open. When Harry shuffled in, he gestured to the bed. Harry sat down silently, knowing that Teddy was about to give him an earful. Teddy strode forward and stopped in front of Harry. "Do you know why I'm angry with you?" he asked. Harry nodded. "Remember how we're _never_ supposed to lie to each other?" Harry nodded again. "Remember how you broke your promise?" Harry didn't respond to that question, staring at his hands instead. "Why did you break your promise?" Teddy pressed on. "Why would you lie to me?"

"I don't know," Harry murmured. "I just… wasn't thinking. I guess I haven't been thinking for a while now."

Teddy sighed and reached forward to hug Harry. "Don't look so sad," he whispered. "Why are you looking so sad?"

Harry wrapped his arms around Teddy. "Because I thought you'd never forgive me," he said. He squeezed his godson tight. "I forgot that I've got you to think of. I've got to think of all you guys. I forgot for a while. I'm sorry."

Teddy bit back his words and simply let Harry hug him for a long while. "I love you very much, Harry. Don't be sad, okay? This is such a silly thing to be sad about."

"I know. I'm pretty silly."

Teddy patted Harry's back comfortingly. "Hey. Wanna see the new books I bought? I got that Quidditch one Aunty Ginny was talking about." He extracted himself out of Harry's arms and skipped over to his messy table, quickly finding the books he had been meaning to show Harry forever. He jumped back into bed and scooted up against the headboard, pulling Harry with him until they were sitting side-by-side against the pillows. "It's got pictures of _all_ the brooms _ever_," he said excitedly. "It's marvelous."

They flipped through pages and pages of broomstick information and history, gawking at the drawings and laughing at the old photographs that showed posh women sitting atop a broom with sour expressions on their faces and wind whipping their cumbersome skirts to the right and left. They read the book until Harry nodded off onto Teddy's shoulder.

Teddy snickered when he felt Harry jerk. Harry grumbled in his sleep and settled deeper into the pillows, turning onto his side and shifting closer to Teddy. The boy stroked Harry's shoulder absently as he pushed the book to the side. "Harry? Wake up?"

Harry sighed instead.

"Well, if you were so tired, you shouldn't have come over." Teddy eased a thin sheet over his godfather, tucking him in.

* * *

Draco pushed through his muddled dream, beginning to wake up because of a strange stirring in his subconscious mind. It took him a little while, but he finally managed to break free and lift his heavy lids. It was still pitch-black outside. He was trying to figure out what had woken him up when he heard a soft rustle beside him. He rolled over onto his other side and jerked into awareness when his eyes slowly adjusted to the dark so he could make out the shape of his son curled in bed beside him, crying. He sat up in shock and pulled Scorpius into his arms. "It's okay," he whispered hurriedly. "It's just a bad dream, Scorp." He hadn't even heard Scorpius come into his room. "You're okay."

Scorpius didn't want to tell Draco that he didn't have a bad dream. He hid his face against his father's shirt and sobbed quietly.

"You should have woken me up," Draco groaned. He kissed Scorpius' forehead, feeling for a temperature as he did so. He was glad when it felt just a bit warm, not burning hot. "You should always wake me up, okay?"

"Mhm."

"Do you want to sleep here today?"

"Mhm," Scorpius whimpered again. "Please, Daddy?"

"Okay, alright."

* * *

Harry slammed the door shut and glared at it for a couple seconds, hoping the reporters waiting outside caught onto the aura he was sending. What part of 'no comment' did they not understand? He kicked the door for good measure before stomping into his living room.

"GAH!" he screamed when he all but ran into Ginny who seemed to have materialized out of nowhere. "Wh-what-how-what-wh-what are you doing here?" he stammered, quickly backpedalling and staggering into the wall in fright.

"What do you mean what am I doing here?" she muttered, holding up the bane of Harry's existence at that moment – the dratted Quibbler. "What are _you_ doing _here_?"

He had already exhausted himself. He couldn't bring himself to stumble through excuses anymore. He looked away guiltily, waiting for more rants similar to the ones he had already heard from the rest of the Weasleys over the past few weeks. He crossed his arms against his chest to stop fidgeting and stared at the carpet.

Ginny clicked her tongue and walked up to Harry, cupping his cheeks in her hands and making him look up. "You're feeling really bad right now, aren't you?" she murmured. Harry faltered for a moment before nodding. She smiled at him and shook her head. "Okay. That's okay," she assured him. "It's okay to feel bad." She tugged him forward and made him sit on the couch, pretending not to notice when he wiped his tears away. "He's the one you were talking about, huh?" she asked. "He's the one you like more than he likes you?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

She opened the Quibbler. "Have you read it?"

"No."

"You look pretty happy in these pictures."

"Please?"

She sighed. "Tell me," she urged. "Don't keep it inside."

"I'm sorry," he said heavily. "I am. I wish I hadn't-And now I-" He broke off, swallowing hard to keep his composure.

She pulled her legs up onto the couch and flicked through the magazine. "Cry a bit, if you want."

He rested his head against her shoulder as more tears squeezed out of his eyes. She had cried on his shoulder a few times before and now it was her turn to return the favor. She held his hand tight, letting him know everything was going to be alright. "Everyone's mad at me," he sniffed. "I hate it."

"I bet you do," Ginny murmured. "I can't believe you took Malfoy to a Muggle fair. It _was_ your idea, wasn't it?"

"It was a stupid idea."

"Says here you spent the whole day there. You must have built some tolerance. I can't stand to look at his face. I mean, you two together is just… gross."

"I know."

"Oh? You do?"

"Teddy's made it abundantly clear."

"Ah, yes. Good ol' Teddy."

They sat in silence for a little while after that. Harry caught his breath eventually. He was so glad for Ginny at that moment. He had thought that she would be the one who would scorn him the most. However, at the moment, she seemed to be one of the few who accepted him. He shifted so he could sink into her more comfortably. "You know I'm sorry, don't you?" he asked her, wanting to make sure she understood.

"I know," she told him. "How's Malfoy doing?"

Harry didn't say.

She looked down at him. "Harry?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

Harry shrugged.

"Why don't you know?" she asked slowly.

"I just… I haven't seen him since… And Scorpius doesn't… I'm sure he's fine now."

"You haven't seen him?"

"Hmm."

Ginny tsked. "After all this drama, you two break up? Just like that?"

"We shouldn't have done anything in the first place," Harry tried to reason it out. "I wasn't thinking straight. Obviously no one was comfortable with it."

"You two were comfortable with it, weren't you?"

"That's not enough."

"Why not?"

"Because I-we-we have responsibilities," he maintained. "He has Scorp and I have Teddy and you guys and… it wouldn't be fair."

"We're already angry with you, Harry," Ginny deadpanned. "And now you're saying you won't give us a reason to be angry with you?"

Harry chuckled tiredly. "Yeah, I know. I'm always putting a damper on things," he mumbled. "It'll blow over, in any case. I just feel awful right now."

"Man, you're so damned thick," Ginny muttered under her breath. She held the magazine up properly. "_This_ isn't something you can get out of that easily, Harry. _This_ is a proper relationship. If you end it after something like _this_, it hurts… a _lot_. It's not like stopping an illicit affair. It's like a proper break up because you two were in a proper relationship. Why don't you understand that? And if you two broke up because of _us_, then that's not fair to _you_."

"Draco says I'm too traditional. He's probably right, you know? We had always known from the beginning that nothing would come out of this. And we had already talked about it before. If either of us felt uncomfortable, then we would stop. No hard feelings. So it's not like we were in a proper relationship or anything. It was a bit of fun for both of us."

"You fell for him, didn't you?"

"Oh, come on, Ginny," Harry said shakily as he wiped his cheeks. "Don't be stupid."

"_You're_ stupid," she retorted, pulling Harry into another fierce hug and letting him hide his teary face against her neck.

* * *

Draco had been having a strange month. Work was much the same except for the fact that none of his coworkers met his eye. And, once ignored on the streets, he now got many double takes and long stares from strangers. Patricia simply smirked knowingly at him whenever they met.

Scorpius was the strangest, though.

Draco could tell that the little boy was feeling unbearable guilt. After storming out of Harry's house, he had gotten a little further than a block when Draco caught up to him. Once they had arrived at the Malfoy manor, the two of them had screamed their voices away until they were red in the face. They hadn't spoken to each other for a couple days until Draco finally broke and apologized. Since then, Scorpius had been on his best behavior. He played quietly in his room and didn't complain about food. He hugged Draco tighter than ever before going to sleep and he woke up without fussing. Draco could tell exactly what was going through Scorpius' mind. He just didn't know how to make it right again.

He sat Scorpius down on the final night of the summer. "Can you tell me what's bothering you now?" he asked.

"Nothing."

"I know you feel bad, Scorp. But you don't have to. You didn't do anything wrong. I know it feels like you did, but you didn't. You were right when you said I was your father. So I won't do anything you aren't comfortable with, okay? You understand, right?"

"I know."

"And tomorrow, at school, you'll behave, won't you? When you see Mr. Potter, you'll behave, won't you?"

Scorpius looked away.

Draco held back his frustration. The last thing he wanted was another scene, this time in front of a school. "He's stopped coming over like you wanted," he rationalized. "We aren't… I-I'm sorry, Scorpius. But you have to promise me you won't be anything but polite to Mr. Potter, okay? I know you're angry and you have every right to be angry, but you can't be mean to him in front of others."

"I know."

"It's not just for me. Potter is… He's different. People aren't allowed to be mean to him. So you'll behave?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Thank you." Draco hoped his son would keep that promise.

"Father?"

"Yes?"

"What did Mother say?" Scorpius asked.

Draco would rather not repeat Astoria's reaction. "Um… Well, she'll… get over it," he hoped. "Everyone's a bit angry with me right now, but that's alright. If anyone's mean to you at school, you'll_ have _to tell me right away."

"I know."

"Don't let them say anything to upset you, okay?"

"I know, Father."

"Okay… Good. Time for bed?"

Scorpius let Draco tuck him in and he didn't make a sound when he was kissed on the cheek. He simply stared up at Draco. Draco jerked his brows questioningly. "I love you," the boy murmured.

Draco smiled in defeat. "I know, buddy. I love you too," he whispered, bending down to kiss Scorpius one more time.

"More than you love Mr. Potter?"

Draco froze. "Pardon me?"

"Do you love me more than anything else?"

"I-of-of course," he stuttered. "Of course, I do." He couldn't believe Scorpius was asking him that. "I'll always love you, Scorpius. It's not the same as with Potter at all."

"So you don't love him anymore?"

Draco sighed. "You're being difficult," he grumbled. He was somewhat glad that Scorpius was being difficult, though. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Daddy."

* * *

Harry had been reprimanded at school, but the staff was above reading into tabloids and gossip, so he was slapped on the wrist for not keeping his private life private and then sent off to prepare for a new batch of five year olds. Most of the trouble he got was from family, both his and his students'. Everyone seemed to be wary of him except for the children. His class was much too young to figure out what all the fuss was about and why their parents weren't very happy about their teacher. To them Mr. Potter was still awesome.

Harry saw Scorpius around the school, but the boy never looked at him. Students in the older classes weren't as innocent as the young ones, so they talked amongst themselves and Harry caught some of those whispers. He was glad that none of them were really directed towards Scorpius. If they were, the boy was handling it well. Harry didn't want to fuel baseless rumors, so he let Scorpius be, although feeling a bit hurt whenever the boy ignored him.

Molly had stopped talking to him, along with a few of her Weasley kids. Inviting Scorpius Malfoy into their home was one thing. Learning about Draco Malfoy's relationship with Harry was another. They wouldn't listen to reason or excuses. Harry knew they would come around eventually, most likely closer to holiday season. The Weasleys would not be able to hold a grudge when there were presents and family cheer on the line. He would just have to ride it out until then.

But he wasn't so sure if he would last that long. Now with Ginny and Teddy gone, the house was so empty and he didn't have anything to keep his mind occupied. He could only do so much at school. When he got home, he was always antsy with pent up energy and a bundle of nerves that had settled in him since that day. He knew it had everything to do with not being able to see Draco, but he kept telling himself that he would get over that too. He just had to get over it.

* * *

Draco opened the door to find Theo standing at the stoop. "Right," he sighed, closing the door on his friend.

"Hey!" Theo called out in affront. "I've got a bone to pick with you."

"No bones here," Draco replied through the door.

"I'm cold!"

"So go home."

"Malfoy!"

"Just go home, Theo."

Theo harrumphed. "No. I'm staying right here and freezing to death."

"Fine."

"Fine."

An hour later, Theo was hopping in front of the fire, rubbing his numb hands together and shivering. "I can't believe you left me out there," he muttered angrily.

"I can't believe you stayed," Draco snorted.

"I don't know why I bother with you."

"Me neither."

Theo pressed his hands to his flushed cheeks. "I guess you've warmed up to Potter after all," he quipped.

"This is why I didn't want to let you in," Draco grumbled as he flopped onto the couch. "Can we not talk about this? It's all I've been hearing for the past few months. It's over and done with. We were being stupid and now we're back to being responsible adults. Chapter closed."

"Bet Stori blew her top, eh?"

"You know her. Makes a mountain out of molehills. She's fine now."

"So what's he like?"

Draco tilted his head with a frown.

"In bed," Theo clarified. "What's he like in bed?"

Draco turned bright red. "What?" he asked in a dangerously low voice.

"Nothing," Theo smiled. "I didn't say anything." He looked back at the fire and wiggled his toes that were nestled inside his warm socks. "Anyway, I would have been your number one fan if you stayed together."

"Just shut up."

"I _would_. Honest. I can't wait to read more about the most scandalous couple in London. Those photographs were _magnificent_. I really do need to congratulate the photographer."

"I should have him killed."

"How did Scorp take it?"

Draco glared at Theo sullenly.

"Things are that bad, huh?" Theo tsked.

"Of course."

"Because of Scorpius? Or the Quibbler?"

"Both."

"As in you'd have stayed together if it wasn't for Scorpius. Or the Quibbler."

Draco shrugged. "Who knows? But Scorp isn't comfortable having Potter around, so… it makes sense. Teddy's not happy either."

"Not happy with you two dating or not happy with you two dating in secret?" Theo asked while raising a brow.

"They're both the same, Theo," Draco spelled out. "Everything has to be a secret when it comes to Potter."


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** Oh, I know you guys wanted a double update ;D

* * *

Harry was walking down the empty corridor with a pile of workbooks in his arms when he saw Scorpius standing against the wall, picking at his shirt, obviously having caused some sort of trouble that had sent him out of the classroom. He nearly stumbled at the sight. Scorpius would _never_ do something like that. At least, he never would have. He slowed to a halt near the boy, unsure of what to say. Scorpius didn't seem to notice until Harry cleared his throat. They stared at each other for a second. Then Scorpius recognized who it was. A scowl replaced his blank look. He appeared a lot like Draco when he scowled, Harry noticed. "What did you do?" the teacher asked.

Scorpius turned around and faced the wall.

Harry turned him back around. "Scorpius?" he murmured gently. "I won't tell your father."

"I don't care if you tell him," Scorpius retorted. "And you don't have to pretend to like us anymore. We've gotten into enough trouble already."

Harry gaped at him. "I-I'm not pretending," he stuttered.

Scorpius clenched his jaw and looked away firmly.

Harry felt his chest ache when he realized that Scorpius didn't trust him anymore. How had he messed things up so royally? He didn't even know how to fix it. "I'm-I… I'm sorry," he tried. Scorpius didn't respond. Harry faltered. He had never, for a moment, thought that he would end up hurting Scorpius like this. In the end, all he could do was walk away with a troubled mind. He didn't know what to do…

* * *

Draco paused at the doorway leading into the kitchen when he realized that Patricia was preparing food in there. She looked up before he had a chance to slink away, making the situation a bit awkward for him. He walked in reluctantly, which didn't go unnoticed. Patricia hid her smile by looking down at the sauce she was stirring.

"Hello, Patricia," Draco greeted. "You didn't have to make dinner."

"I didn't know you were coming home early or I wouldn't have," she answered with a short laugh. "How was work?"

"Fine," he mumbled as he poured himself some orange juice. "Scorpius is upstairs?"

"Doing homework."

"I see."

She flicked her wand at the dishes in the sink so they were soaked and soapy, ready for rinsing in a few minutes. "You know, I haven't made dinner in a while for you two," she commented.

"Yeah. I know."

"Harry's been around so often. He likes to cook, right?"

Draco studiously drank the cold drink, grimacing when he was hit with a serious case of brain freeze from trying to finish the juice too quickly. He just wanted to get out of the kitchen as soon as possible.

Patricia knew that she was making Draco uncomfortable. It was one of those rare occasions for her and she didn't like to let that slip by. "Scorpius has been acting strangely. Have you noticed?" she asked.

"With good reason."

"Have you spoken with him?"

"Yes."

"Have you _really_?"

Draco didn't say.

Patricia flicked her eyes up at Draco. "I think you might want to, Draco," she said. "Make sure you clear the air and all. It was really nice having Harry around. Scorpius thought it was really nice too."

"He doesn't think so anymore," Draco sighed.

"Seems that way." She turned back to her food that was simmering away. "I think it's just a simple misunderstanding. That's all."

"It always is a simple misunderstanding."

She tasted the sauce and paused for a moment to savor it. Then she nonchalantly asked, "You miss him too, don't you?"

Draco looked down at the cold glass and rolled it against his palms. "Admitting it is rather mortifying, Patricia. So I'm not going to dignify that with a response," he said eloquently.

"Well, I've got a good feeling," she said with a firm nod. "Everything's going to end well. Nothing to worry about at all. These things have a habit of working out."

"If you say so."

* * *

Teddy was getting fed up with the curious stares he had been receiving since the start of his third year at Hogwarts. He had tried glaring, which usually worked because he could pull off a _mean_ glare. But eventually everyone grew desensitized to that. As Halloween approached fast, he grew resigned to the fact that everyone had something to say to him but no one was brave enough to utter a sound, not even his closest friends.

"What?" he finally snapped in the Gryffindor common room one night. Nearly all of the older years were crowded around the sofas and warm fire, chatting lazily on a Saturday night. Teddy's voice carried through though, causing the room to grow hushed. "What is it?" he asked his friends who were sprawled across the cushions on the floor. "Just spit it out."

Most of them just nervously glanced at each other, pursing their lips to indicate that they had nothing at all to say to the volatile boy. Silence dragged on for a bit of time, making Teddy more and more irritable. If no one had anything to say, he just wished they'd stop bugging him.

"What's Malfoy like?" a disembodied voice finally asked.

Teddy whipped his head to the side and narrowed his eyes that were sparking and icy blue. He couldn't make out the owner of the voice but everyone in the vicinity of the culprit shifted anxiously, not quite liking the look on the young Third Year's face. "What does it matter what he's like?" he muttered. "Why would you care?"

"You seemed alright with him in the Quibbler."

Teddy sat up in a flash. "He's my cousin so I'm allowed to be alright with him," he seethed. "Got it?"

"I think he's cool."

Everyone turned to look at Victoire Weasley who was leaning against the table and examining her wand with sudden interest.

"What?" Teddy barked.

"I think Harry's cool."

He blinked at her.

"I mean, he's looked past Malfoy's history and all, hasn't he?" she explained. "I think that makes him pretty awesome. And if Harry likes Malfoy, then I'm _sure_ he's a nice guy."

"Of course Harry's cool," Teddy blustered. "He's _my_ godfather."

"Right."

"Right."

"So all everyone's asking is what Malfoy's like, Teddy. Sheesh."

Teddy huffed and glared at Victoire some more. She was the only First Year who could really stand up to him. They _had_ known each other forever, after all. "I don't know what he's like," he muttered. "He's like a regular guy. I mean, he's got a son and he works all the time."

"Does he really have a Dark Mark?" a Seventh Year asked casually, knowing that was the most prominent question on everyone's mind.

"He was a Death Eater," Teddy said simply.

"Have you seen it?"

"Yeah. Whatever. No big deal."

It seemed like a very big deal for the few First and Second Years around who were looking at Teddy in awe. Here was a real live person who had seen a Dark Mark with his own two eyes. "Have you been to his house? I heard it's awful in there, filled with ghouls and all."

Teddy scoffed. "It's not a house. He's got a _mansion_. It has got so many rooms, I've gotten lost in there. No ghouls or ghosts. Just a lot of paintings. And everything's _really_ expensive."

"What about Harry Potter's place?"

"Now _that_ house probably has a few dozen ghouls just waiting to ambush anyone who goes past the third floor. The paintings scream at you if you look at them wrong. It's quite abusive, actually. Dunno why I bother staying there."

"Is Malfoy's kid coming to Hogwarts?"

"I think so," Teddy said. "He's only seven, though."

"What's _he_ like?"

"What do you mean what's he like? He's great!" he harrumphed. "He's a kid, for crying out loud. Of course he's great."

"You think he'll be a Slytherin?"

Teddy nodded big. "Oh, yeah. He's definitely a Slytherin. No doubt about that. A better Slytherin than his father too."

* * *

Scorpius had crawled into Draco's bed early Sunday morning, knowing his father wouldn't wake up properly for another hour. He didn't feel like playing, so he lay down on the big bed and stared up at the white ceiling with his hands on his belly and his feet planted on the mattress. It didn't take long for Draco to turn over and drop an arm over Scorpius' chest, kissing him good morning. There was fresh snow on the ground, so everything was perfectly cold and sweet. Scorpius looked down at his father's arm, wiggling to get his own arms out from under it. Then he pushed up the sleeve on Draco's shirt, exposing the Dark Mark. He traced it once, refusing to stop even after Draco twitched sleepily. "I know what this is, Father," he announced.

"You do?" Draco murmured.

"It's a bad mark."

"It is… Who told you that?"

"I just know. It's why you're always hiding it. Are you a bad man?"

Draco really wasn't in the mood for this type of a conversation this early in the morning, so he ignored that question.

"I think you're a good man," Scorpius continued. "Because you're my father, I think you're a good man. People at school say mean things, but I don't believe them."

"What do they say?"

"They say you need to go to Azkaban."

Draco scowled in his sleep and titled his head forward, pressing his forehead against Scorpius' cheek. "What do you tell them?" he asked.

"I want to hit them _so hard_ that their teeth fall out," Scorpius said honestly. "But I won't do that because I'll get in trouble. I told my teacher and _they_ got in more trouble than me. Serves them right."

"Serves them right," Draco echoed, wonder coloring his words.

"But they aren't the only ones who think that, huh? Everyone thinks you're bad, huh? That's why you don't like to go out, huh?"

"Maybe."

"I think… if they got to know you, they'd like you too, Father. _I_ like you."

"You're just weird."

Scorpius frowned. "Am not. I like you because you're a good man. That's that."

"That's that?"

"That's that."

Draco pulled his arm in, scooping Scorpius as he did so, and turned onto his back so his son was lying atop him, looking down at him. "I _have_ done bad things," he confessed. "Things you wouldn't like. Things I'm sorry about."

"But you did those bad things so long ago. It doesn't matter anymore."

"Consequences matter. Time doesn't change the fact that I hurt a lot of people. They might forget what I look like or what I said and did but that doesn't change the fact that I did bad things."

"Do you _want_ me to be angry with you?" Scorpius grumbled.

Draco smiled. "Yeah. Kind of. It's what I've been expecting for years… When did you grow up so much?"

"Fine. I'll be angry with you for _five_ minutes." Scorpius said. He laid his head on Draco's chest, feeling his father's heart against his cheek. "Tell me when five minutes is over."

"Mhm. Just five minutes though."

Scorpius giggled and nodded.

Draco carted his fingers through his son's ruffled hair. "Scorp?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you hate Harry now?"

Scorpius stiffened.

"I know that magazine said some strange things. And I know you aren't comfortable with me dating him. But is that the only reason? Because… I feel bad knowing that you feel this way."

"Don't feel bad," Scorpius murmured.

"You know, I used to worry about you…"

"Why?"

"I used to wonder what you would do if something happened to me. We don't have anyone. I used to get so worked up that you'd be all alone."

"Don't say that… I've got Mother and Nanna. And I've got you and Theo."

"And you've got Harry, okay?"

Scorpius looked up at Draco blankly.

Draco tilted his head and smiled at his son. "That's why I don't want you to hate him," he said. "Do you know what he said when I asked him if he'd take care of you? He said, 'Of course. He's family, isn't he?' If you've ever got a problem, he'd help you out, no matter what. Family is _very_ important to him. More important than anything else."

Scorpius laid his head down on Draco's chest again slowly without saying a word.

"Have I confused you enough?" Draco asked.

"Mhm."

He shifted his weight and sat up, bringing Scorpius along with him and nestling the boy on his lap. "So tell me. What about Harry do you hate?"

Scorpius pulled at an unraveled thread on Draco's shirt instead of answering.

"You don't want us dating, right? We aren't dating anymore. And you don't want him to come over anymore, so he doesn't. He's still nice to you in school," Draco listed off. "He feels hurt. Maybe you could apologize? That's a start. I know it's h-"

"You just don't understand," Scorpius interrupted, pushing Draco back and scooting away from him before jumping off the bed. "I'm going to have breakfast."

"But… Wait. Scorp!"

"I don't want to talk about it," Scorpius said as he walked out the room, leaving Draco to scratch his head in puzzlement. If the kid was already acting this way, Draco would have his hands full when puberty hit.

* * *

"Alright, fine. I give up," Ron said angrily, throwing his hands up in defeat and sitting back in his chair

Harry narrowed his eyes, not quite catching on. Hugo was bouncing on his lap, zooming his little Quidditch figurines around. The boy didn't seem the least bit fazed by his father's theatrics. "You give what up?" Harry asked.

"You can do whatever you want," his best friend said. He looked very much like a martyr at that moment by the way his shoulders slumped and his voice turned somber.

"I'm sorry?"

"You've been moping about for months, you prat. I said you can stop now."

"Prat, prat, prat," Hugo giggled, poking Harry's cheek with the Chudley Cannon Seeker. "Harry's a prat!"

"Hey now," Harry frowned, pushing Hugo's hand down. "I've got every right to mope, Ron. Everyone's been on my case for absolutely no reason. All I can do is mope."

"We were worried about you. That's all."

"Worried about what? Malfoy hadn't tried to murder me or anything. I can look after myself. I'm a good judge of character."

Hugo looked at his father, his eyes widening eyes and his mouth rounded into an 'O', having realized that the two men were having a fight.

"But you can't _really_ think he wasn't trying to manipulate you?" Ron asked with exasperation.

"_Of course_ he is!"

Ron stopped short in confusion.

Harry exhaled loudly. "All he ever does is manipulate people. I _know_ that. I happen to _like_ that. He's already _told_ me that. Manipulating people isn't always a bad thing, Ron. The things you and I can do, he just can't. He's afraid to go out in public with his son because he's worried about what Scorpius might hear. He doesn't have the support that you or I have with friends and family because all his folks are either locked away or dead. He needs to manipulate people to make sure he's secure. I don't mind that. I know you guys do, but I just… I just want you to understand where he's coming from. I mean, you _know_ where he's coming from. You've known him for years! Just put yourself in his shoes for a blasted second, would you?"

"Uh oh," Hugo mumbled uneasily. "Daddy's in rubble."

"He sure is," Harry muttered. "Don't tell _me_ not to mope. I'm Harry Potter. I can mope if I want. Right, Hugo?"

"Yup, yup, yup."

* * *

After what was supposed to be a quick stop at Gringotts turned into a visit that lasted a few fifteen minutes too long, Draco was rushing to get out of there, glancing at his watch and silently dressing down the goblin who took him down the wrong track even after his insistence. He was bumped on the shoulder abruptly and sent stumbling to the side. He barely caught himself before he could fall against a frail witch who glared at him as though to say she had half the mind to scold him in any case. He glared back at her before whipping his head around to glare at whoever had bumped him.

He really wasn't expecting to see Harry staring back at him.

His heart pattered embarrassingly fast and he was struck dumb for a moment. He hadn't seen Harry in so long. He didn't know what to do.

Harry was the first to recover. He smiled apologetically before moving towards the desks. Draco reflexively reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him. Harry looked at him again, this time in surprise and amusement. "Ah. Um," Draco faltered, letting go and taking a step back. With a chuckle, Harry shook his head as he walked away. The whole ordeal lasted five seconds.

Draco shoved his hand into his pocket, quickly spinning around to stride out the exit before he made more of a fool of himself. Now _this_ was starting to feel like an affair. He scowled at the snow-covered ground. He wasn't even getting sex out it. Damned Potter making him lose his cool…


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N:** A double update? More like a _triple_ update!

* * *

"Did you hear about what happened to Mr. Potter?"

Scorpius perked up when he heard the passing whisper. He was eating his snack in the mess hall with his friends and whoever had spoken was sitting at the table behind him. He was used to listening in on other people's conversations. It's how he garnered most of the gossip in the school. He knew all about how pretty nine-year-old Lacey twisted Pip's nose because he was bullying her, and then kissed his cheek by the back of the school, much to her admirer's elation. He knew about Margaret's friends planning a surprise birthday party over the weekend. He knew what students thought of Mr. McGillis, the meanest teacher in the whole wide world.

He leaned back slightly to eavesdrop, letting his spoon rest on the lid of his lunchbox. Gossip about Mr. Potter was something he couldn't ignore.

"Today, at recess, he broke his neck!"

Scorpius whipped around. "What?" he exclaimed. "Mr. Potter what?"

The older students blinked at the strange seven-year-old boy who had suddenly butted into their conversation. "Pardon?"

"He broke his neck?" Scorpius repeated urgently.

"Well, he had to be taken to the hospital, so yeah."

* * *

Harry grimaced as he took his fifth potion from the nurse. He tried that puppy dog eye thing with her to no avail. She merely shook her head in disapproval. "It's quite disgusting, you know?" he insisted. "I'm sure you've never tried it."

"You're right. I haven't. Now drink up, Mr. Potter, or I'll have to call your doctor over and I'm sure he'd be more than willing to prescribe something else. I hear the stronger stuff literally burns as it goes-"

"Okay. Got it." Harry gulped down the pain potion in one go, gagging as he handed the flask back to the nurse. "How much longer do I have to stay in here?"

"It's only been two hours, Mr. Potter. Besides, no one's come to collect you yet."

"What?" he blurted out. "No one's going to come collect me! Why would I need anyone to-"

"We've already called your emergency contacts. They should be here any m-"

"Harry! What in the bloody hell are you doing here?" Ron swore as he stormed into the hospital room. "How is this even_ possible_? You work at a _school_ for crying out loud!"

"I'll leave you to it then, Mr. Potter." The nurse winked at Harry before walking away, letting the poor man to fend for himself.

"Well, you see, one of my students got on the roof… somehow. And I was trying to get him down and he sort of… fell on me," Harry tried to explain. "But it's all good. I'm mended. You can go home."

"Go home? How can I go home when you're like _this_? You can't even look after yourself! A kid fell on you and you're in _here_? That's seriously messed up. What did you break?"

"My collarbone."

"Man, how fat was this kid?"

"Hey! Don't be mean. He was really scared."

"Let's see."

"There's nothing to see, Ron. Go away. This is embarrassing already." His right arm was in a sling and tied close to his chest so the bone would remain unmoving while it set. Other than that and a small scrape on his cheek, he looked right as a fiddle.

That wasn't what Scorpius was expecting when he barged into the room.

Harry gawked in wonder at the pale, panting boy. "Scorpius? Wh-what are you doing here?" the teacher stammered. Just how many 'emergency contacts' did that nurse call? Scorpius opened his mouth, but he couldn't get his words out. His nanny wasn't far behind, suddenly appearing by the door, looking a bit embarrassed. "Patty? What? What's going on?" Harry asked.

"He thought you broke your neck," she said with a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

"I-I'm okay, buddy," Harry rushed to say. "See? All better now."

Scorpius pursed his lips together as tears filled his eyes. He quickly spun around and hid his face against Patricia.

Harry glanced at Ron in horror before pushing off the pillows and swinging his legs off the bed, wincing when a stabbing pain pierced his shoulder as he got up unsteadily. He hobbled over to Scorpius with some effort. "I'm really okay," he stressed. "I didn't mean to scare anyone." He rested a hand on Scorpius' shoulder to try to get him to look up. "Would I be lying?"

Scorpius slapped Harry's hand away.

"Scorpius," Patricia scolded.

"Stupid Harry," Scorpius sniffled. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid." He blindly turned and hugged Harry's waist as tight as he could. "Stupid Harry."

Harry suddenly felt relief settling in as he wove his fingers through the boy's hair and held him close. "I know," he murmured as a euphoric smile started to form on his lips. "I know."

"I'm _trying_ to be mean to you and you just won't let me," Scorpius sobbed. "It's not fair. You're not fair. You shouldn't be nice to me, Harry. You shouldn't."

"Now, now." Harry gently nudged Scorpius back so he could kneel down. "Why would you say something like that? Hmm?"

"I've made you sad, haven't I?"

"Just a little," Harry assured him as he wiped the boy's cheeks. "And now I'm happy. So it's all good. Knowing that you care makes me _very_ happy."

"Of course I care!" Scorpius wailed. "You're my family, aren't you?" He kissed Harry's cheek as hard as he could. "You're making me cry!"

"You'll make me cry too, Scorp."

The boy leaned forward and pressed his face against Harry's shoulder. "I'll cry first and you can cry after," he gasped.

"Sounds like a plan…"

After a moment of uncomfortable silence from the onlookers, both Patricia and Ron made feeble excuses to get out of the room, leaving Harry and Scorpius to figure things out on their own. Harry whispered calming words until Scorpius had quieted down. Then he cautiously got up to his feet and tugged the silent boy along, motioning for him to sit on the bed. Once they were sitting next to each other, Harry took Scorpius' shaking hand in his and squeezed it hard. "Tell me what's bothering you," he urged.

"I know what Daddy did when he was small," Scorpius began, stumbling over his words between sobs. "I know that no one likes him. I know your not-so-proper family doesn't like him. I know _all_ that, Harry. Everyone keeps hiding it but I know, okay? I know they're mad at you for liking me and Father and I know family's important to you and I _know_ all that. I'm not a baby! I'm not dumb!"

"You're the smartest."

"I _am_. I _am_ the smartest. If you keep being nice to me and Daddy, then… then it'll be bad. That's why I-" He broke off and looked down as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "I don't want you to be sad. I don't want your not-so-proper family to not like you anymore."

Harry reached down and nudged at Scorpius' chin, making him look up again. "And what else did Teddy tell you?" he asked.

Scorpius turned bright red. "H-he didn't-I-H-he's-"

"You might be the smartest, Scorpius, but Teddy's _definitely_ the craftiest."

"But he was right about everything, wasn't he? H-he said that everyone would be so angry with you and Father and that it'll only make you sadder and I don't want Daddy to be sadder. Ted-Teddy doesn't want to share you j-just like I don't want to share Daddy a-and it's all so messy, Harry. Why is everything so messy?" Scorpius lamented.

"Well, it's not up to Teddy to decide who I like," Harry said with an affected sniff. "He'll just have to learn to live with it."

"Then _he'll_ be sadder! Oh, what do we do?" Scorpius wrung his hands in desperation. "I don't know what to do!"

"You should probably stop doing anything at all," Harry advised while arching his brows in derision. "Just behave like a little baby for once, will you? I keep having to tell myself that you've just barely learned to put complete sentences together."

"That's mean! You're being mean!"

Now that Harry had figured out that Scorpius didn't mind him after all, he was feeling a second wind beneath his sails. If Scorpius was alright, then Draco would be alright too. He was starting to become a bit giddy at that point. "You still love me, don't you?" he asked just to make sure.

"No," Scorpius sobbed as he elbowed Harry's sore ribs.

"Great," Harry said with a wide grin. "So here's what we'll do. We won't worry about what _anyone else_ says anymore. I don't care. You and Draco and I can do _whatever_ we want from now on. If someone's being mean to me, you can tell them off. If someone's being mean to you, I'll tell them off. And if anyone's being mean to Draco, we'll _both_ tell them off. I'm allowed to like _whomever_ I want. Isn't that right, Scorpius?"

"Mhm," the boy mumbled while curling his legs onto Harry's lap. "It's just not fair."

"Right. It's just not fair. So we'll show them that they're _all_ wrong. Draco's awesome now and you're even more awesome than he ever was and we'll show them all, huh? My not-so-proper family will eat their words, won't they?"

"I don't know," Scorpius said shakily. "What if they don't?"

"Then it's their loss. I won't worry about it for _one more minute_. No more secrets. I swear," Harry promised.

"T-Teddy will be sad."

"He can stay sad for a little while longer, I think. I daresay he deserves it. Don't you ever listen to anything he says, Scorpius. He's an evil little imp. He's always making trouble for me."

"But you love him very much, don't you, Harry?"

"Unfortunately for me, yes."

Scorpius sniffed and nodded. "I'm glad. He loves you very much too," he murmured. "H-Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"What happened at school today? Did you get hurt really bad?"

Harry gestured at his shoulder vaguely. "Broke something. No big deal, really. I've broken stuff loads of times. People just make a big deal out of it when I break stuff," he told Scorpius.

"What did you break?"

Harry used his thumb to hover over the right half of his collarbone. "Right in the middle."

"Did it hurt _really_ bad?"

"Only for a little while. I got to the hospital really quick, so they mended me and gave me potions for the pain."

"Did you cry?"

Harry winked at Scorpius. "Maybe a little when they were moving me around," he whispered.

"Oh," the boy groaned in dismay. "I'm sorry. That's so bad. Did you ask for ice-cream?"

"I can't very well ask the _nurse_ for ice-cream, can I?"

"I can ask Nanna to bring you some. Do you want chocolate ice-cream or strawberry ice-cream?"

"When I get home, I'll have lots of vanilla ice-cream."

"With chocolate syrup and sprinkles and strawberries and-"

"And everything sweet I can find," Harry finished.

"C-can I come over?"

"Oh, you just want to eat that ice-cream concoction, don't you?"

Scorpius finally smiled through his tears. "Mhm," he lied.

"I guess I can spare a spoon or two," Harry teased lightly.

"Harry?"

"Yeah."

"You're too nice."

"Thank you."

"And stupid."

"Thank you."

The door swung open to interrupt the conversation, causing Harry and Scorpius to look up in fright.

Draco stared at the two in shock, his hand still gripping the doorknob tight. All Patricia had told him was that she and Scorpius were at St. Mungo's. That was enough to send him panicking. Now here he was looking at his son sitting on Harry's lap as though nothing was the matter.

"Um… Hello, Father," the young boy mumbled as he quickly struggled to the ground and tried to make himself look a bit more presentable.

"What happened?" Draco asked faintly after taking an uncertain step into the room. He suddenly wasn't sure if he was delirious or not.

"I… um… broke my collarbone," Harry filled him in. "Surprise."

"He's okay now," Scorpius added when he saw the unsettled look on his father's face. "Don't worry. The doctors made him all better."

"What are you doing here, Scorpius?"

"Uh. Um. I-I wanted to see Harry," he stuttered.

"It's really very sweet of him," Harry added for his benefit.

Draco didn't really know how to proceed after that. He just stood there staring blankly. It wasn't until Scorpius had walked over and tugged at his sleeve that he mumbled, "Hmm?"

Scorpius gestured for his father to lean down, which Draco did. Then the boy cupped his hands to his mouth next to Draco's ear and whispered, "Harry's a bit sad right now so you have to be nice to him, okay?"

Draco roved his eyes over Scorpius' face to make sure the boy wasn't kidding. "You won't mind?" he finally asked.

"I won't mind."

He straightened up and in two strides he had closed the gap between him and the bed so he could kiss Harry without warning. Harry fell backwards, taking Draco with him, his eyes remaining wide open when cold lips mashed firmly against his slack mouth. His vision glazed over and his pulse quickened as he felt Draco's warmth and smelt his familiar cologne.

Then the pain came rushing back.

"Ah!" he hissed as he tried shoving Draco back with his good arm. "Ow, ow, ow!"

"You _kissed_ him?" Scorpius squeaked. "Gross! Why did you _kiss_ him?"

Draco cupped Harry's cheeks in his hands and held him still, his breath coming out in anxious spurts. He couldn't believe this was happening. He laughed incredulously before kissing Harry again. Harry was in no mood to respond because of his throbbing chest and shoulder. Draco pulled away after a few moments and swallowed to find at least a sliver of his lost composure. "What… what did you say you broke?" he asked heavily.

"My collarbone."

"Did some brat fall on you?"

"Mhm."

Draco smiled and pressed his forehead against Harry's, closing his eyes tight. "So stupid," he mumbled.

Harry reached up and trailed his fingers over Draco's neck. "I missed y-"

"You two aren't allowed to kiss in front of me," Scorpius proclaimed.

Draco stifled his groan and exhaled slowly before moving away from Harry. "Right. Of course we aren't," he muttered under his breath.

"I don't want cooties."

"No one would," Harry agreed with a solemn nod as he sat up. "No kissing."

Scorpius wrinkled his nose in disgust at the men. "Gross."

Draco moved to sit on the edge of the bed and tried to wrap his brain around everyone's sudden change in heart. "What's Teddy going to say?" he asked Harry.

"Teddy's the one who's been putting ideas into Scorpius' head," Harry drawled. "He's got nothing to say at all. Believe me. If anything, I've got things to say to _him._"

"Really?"

"Besides, like Ginny said, everyone's already bent out of shape. Might as well give them a reason to be mad."

"You can't mean that."

"I do mean it," Harry assured Draco. "Just… don't prove me wrong, okay?"

"I'll try."

"Starting now?"

"Now?"

Harry glanced at the door just as it shot open to reveal Molly, Arthur, Hermione, and George gawking owlishly while Ron and Patricia hung back, not really knowing where to look.

"Oh," Draco mumbled.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:** Good God, you guys are awesome! I had some 40-odd reviews for the last chapter! GAH! Thank you :D

* * *

Draco moved to get up but Harry tugged him back down forcibly. Scorpius sidled towards them with slow steps until he was standing right by them. No one spoke for the longest time. The Weasleys were trying to make sense of the surreal scene they had walked in on. Harry kept a tight hold on Draco's sleeve to make sure he wouldn't run away again. Scorpius leaned against his father and looked down at the floor when he started feeling uncomfortable.

Finally George whipped around to face Ron. "_You_ said he broke his _neck_," he exclaimed.

"I wasn't _serious_," Ron blurted out, holding his hands up in surrender. "Do you really think I'd be coherent if he broke his bloody neck?"

Scorpius glanced at Draco out of the corner of his eye. "I thought he broke his neck too," he whispered. "But he didn't."

"I see that," Draco murmured.

"I should be back to normal in a day," Harry said over everybody's conversations. "They're just keeping me here to make sure it's healing properly." And, apparently, to be collected.

"What happened?" Arthur asked wondrously. "You were in school, weren't you?"

"That's what _I_ asked," Ron interjected. "Apparently a fat kid fell on him."

"Heh," George sniggered before quickly catching himself after receiving a glare from his mother. "Fat kid, Mum," he mumbled under his breath. "Finding some humor in the situation, that's all…"

"So… just to be _absolutely clear_ here," Hermione hesitated, "Harry _isn't_ dying."

"Right," Ron replied.

She hung her head in defeat and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Honey…" She broke off simply to sigh.

"Sorry."

Harry had known this was going to happen. It always played out this way when he got hurt. Someone _always_ made a bigger deal out of things and then everyone came rushing down to worry insistently about him until he was smothered. Usually he would have no problem being in that position. When Molly smothered him, it meant great food and lots of impromptu hugging. When Ron smothered him, there were gratuitous compliments and an almost brave optimism. But, on that day, Harry didn't really want to do anything other than hang out with Draco and Scorpius for a bit.

As always, everyone pretended to not see Draco. But he was used to being invisible. It was better than confrontation, to be sure.

"I've got to get back," Hermione muttered as she narrowed her eyes at her husband. Then she turned to Harry to smile apologetically. "I'll see you at your place later, okay? And _please_ do as the Mediwizard tells you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry grumbled, frowning after her as she left the hospital room to get back to the work she had abandoned in her hurry. Ron scurried after her.

"Eat your veggies, Harry," George piped in. He nodded once at Scorpius who smiled back, and then he followed his brother out the door. That left Arthur and Molly. Patricia wandered out of the room again to evade any awkward conversation.

"Are you sure you are alright, dear?" she fussed. Her hands were clasping her pink mittens tight and her lips were drawn into a thin line out of worry.

"I really am," Harry assured her. "Would I be in good spirits if I wasn't?"

"I never know with you," Molly sighed. She paused for a moment, most likely thinking of what to do next. Arthur cringed when his wife decided it was a good idea to approach Harry while Malfoy sat next to him.

Draco thought otherwise.

He tugged his sleeve out of Harry's grip and quickly got up, stepping away just as Molly sat down on the other side of Harry. Scorpius was too preoccupied with Molly to notice so he stayed near Harry and looked on with interest. Draco sidled towards the window, sliding his hands into his pockets as nonchalantly as possible so he could keep his fingers on his wand.

Molly made sure the bandages were done up properly because, if there was _anything_ she had learnt from having so many children, it was how to fix up broken bones. "And how is the other party of the fall doing?" she asked as she made Harry tilt his head up so she could examine that small cut on his cheek.

"Fine," Harry mumbled. "He was a bit shaken up."

"I suppose you picked the short end, then."

"I guess…"

"B-but Harry's okay, right?" Scorpius wanted to know.

"I already told you I am," Harry said quietly while giving the boy a loaded look that told him to shut up. "I've been _so_ much worse, Molly," he added for her sake. "This is nothing at all. I'm just staying in here until they've fed me enough potions to make me loopy, and then they'll let me go. I don't even have to stay overnight or anything. So you can go home. There's nothing to worry about."

"Of course I need to worry," Molly argued. "You can't possibly do anything with just one arm."

"It's just for tonight. The Mediwizard said I should regain almost full function after a good night's rest. I can manage," Harry assured her. Then he glanced at Draco who was only half-listening to the patronizing conversation going on around him. "Besides, he's here to help me out, hmm?"

Molly turned bright red while Arthur cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment. Draco looked at them absently, starting when he realized that they were looking back at him. "Pardon me?" he asked.

"Trust me, Molly," Harry urged. "Like always, just trust me on this one. Please?"

"I-I'll look after Harry too," Scorpius piped in. "He'll be _all_ better tomorrow."

Molly smiled awkwardly at the young Malfoy. To her, Harry was like a son. And when she had a bad feeling about things, she was usually right. She _always_ had a bad feeling when it came to the Malfoys. She bit her tongue, however. She had already been on Harry's case since that awful article in the Quibbler. Now he just looked tired and unwilling to listen to reason. "Will you be going home, then?" she asked to make sure.

"Yes," Harry said. "I'll be home. I'll be okay."

"I'll bring dinner over. How does that sound?"

He really couldn't say no to her concern. She always went out of her way for him. He truly appreciated her. "If it makes you feel better," he seceded.

"Great," she beamed. "You can't very well cook with just one arm."

"I could manage," he said under his breath, much to Arthur's amusement and understanding. After some coaxing, he finally managed to get his wife to let go of Harry. By the time Molly and Arthur left, it was already a half-hour later.

Draco breathed a sigh of relief when the door shut behind the Weasleys.

"See? That was perfect," Harry commented. He was feeling quite good about himself at that moment.

"If you say so," Draco murmured.

"They'll warm up to you in no time."

"Sure."

Scorpius huffed at his father. "Stop being a grumpy bear," he demanded.

"Oh, it's just his nature," Harry teased easily. Who knew standing up for himself passive aggressively would feel so good? No wonder Draco tried it so often. As long as he didn't take no for an answer, they wouldn't be able to do anything about it. He wasn't doing anything wrong so he shouldn't be made to _feel_ like he was doing something wrong. He scrunched his eyes up when he felt a sharp pain in the back of his eyes. "Hmm, the potions are working," he muttered.

"What kind of potions?" Scorpius wanted to know.

"To mend the bone and take away the pain," Harry explained. "But potions don't like me very much."

"Potions make _me_ sleepy."

"Me too."

Draco pushed off the wall and walked over to the bed. "Are you sure you want to go back to your place?" he asked.

"You can't expect me to spend the night _here_," Harry complained. "I hate hospitals."

"No, I… I meant staying over at the manor."

He looked up sharply, his brows arching in wonder. "Wh-really?"

Scorpius responded for his father, nodding as fast as he could. "Come over, Harry. I have to look after you, remember?" he said.

"I won't be good company, Scorp."

"Oh, that's alright," Scorpius assured Harry. "You can sleep over. We have ice-cream at our house. I'll give you lots of scoops."

"Really, Potter," Draco added. "You can stay over."

"Ah, okay. Thanks!"

"But you should probably let Mother Hen know so she doesn't come after me with her pitchfork."

Harry scowled at Draco. "She's got her reasons. Rather good ones too, I might add."

"Just tell her, Potter."

"Fine, fine."

The potions were really starting to kick in when Harry got to Draco's place. He was finding it hard to walk straight and his reaction time had slowed considerably, making him a bit confused but pain-free. He hadn't talked much since they left the hospital since he was preoccupied with keeping his wits about him. He sat down on the couch as soon as he was able to, closing his eyes to keep the world from swimming.

"Alright?" Draco asked.

"Mhm. Just a bit woozy," Harry murmured.

"Lie down for a bit, then."

He was knocked out a minute later. Scorpius tsked sympathetically as he patted Harry's hair. Draco rolled his eyes at his son's sudden concern and ushered him out of the drawing room. Patricia was already preparing dinner when the Malfoys joined her in the kitchen. "How's he doing?" she asked Draco.

"He fell asleep," Scorpius answered. "He was supposed to have ice-cream, Nanna."

"When he wakes up, you can give him some," she told the boy.

Harry was having strange dreams in the meantime. His shoulder and chest burned, but it was a pleasant sort of an ache. He could tell he was in the Malfoy Manor from the smell, but he couldn't seem to keep awake even though he wanted to look around. He couldn't move because his arms and legs seemed detached from the rest of him. The potions were making him feel weightless as well as heavy. He was restless and lethargic. It felt calm and eerie. At times he would hear familiar voices, but they were too far away for him to discern actual words. He was aware enough to know when a blanket was draped over his chest and felt a soft touch against his cheek. He knew all of this was happening around him but he just couldn't wake up.

At some point, he remembered Draco stooping down over him and asking him if he wanted some supper. He must have answered no because the next thing he saw when he opened his eyes was darkness as the sun had set. He blinked at the windows in some puzzlement before looking up at Draco who had woken him up again. "Hmm?" he asked hoarsely.

"Come to bed?"

Harry closed his eyes and smiled. This was the best dream ever.

He managed to get up the stairs blearily by trailing a hand over the banister and knowing that Draco was behind him, ready to catch him if he tripped. His stomach growled but he was too tired to eat. He just wanted to go to sleep again. He sat down as soon as he got to the bed, rubbing his sandy eyes with his fist.

"Lie down," Draco urged. "Or do you want to change?"

"No," Harry mumbled. He really wanted to stretch his arm out but the sling kept it immobile. He scooted up and lay down on the bed while yawning. The bed was so much nicer than that sofa. He couldn't feel his shoulder anymore. In the background, he heard doors opening and closing, water running, and quiet footsteps. He was aware of the lights being extinguished and turned his head to the side when the mattress dipped. He fell asleep as soon as Draco had draped an arm over his stomach and pulled him close.

* * *

It was a little before six when Draco woke up from his fitful sleep. He reached over instinctively, blinking his eyes open when he felt an empty bed. He rolled over onto his side in confusion. Harry wasn't there. He sat up and looked around. Then he heard sounds in the bathroom.

Harry prodded at his bruised chest that looked much worse than it felt. He had managed to get the sling off, but the shirt had given him the most trouble. Now that they were out of the way, he could get a good look at his injuries. His clavicle and chest were an angry shade of purple. He tried to roll his shoulder, biting back a frightened gasp when he felt it lock. But it gave way easily and painlessly a moment later, much to his relief. He rolled it a couple more times to make sure. His ribs still ached as though he had been punched. It would heal in a few days.

He looked up at the door through mirror when he heard the knob turn. Draco peeked in while still blinking the sleep out of his eyes. "Hey," Harry smiled. "Morning."

"What's wrong?" Draco mumbled as he walked in.

"Nothing. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Are you better?" He stood behind Harry, examining the damage in the reflection. "It looks bad. You said it was just a broken collarbone."

"It _is_ just a broken collarbone," Harry chuckled. "I guess this is what happens when a kid lands on you the wrong way. The nurse said-"

Draco wound his arms around Harry's waist, cutting his words short. Having Harry in his arms again was… brilliant. He pressed his lips against Harry's shoulder. "What did she say?" he asked.

"I… uh… I forget."

"That's too bad," Draco smirked and slid his fingers against Harry's skin.

"Mhm," Harry murmured as he turned around to kiss Draco. He had a feeling his smile would be hard to erase for the next little while. He shivered when Draco touched his stomach. "Be a bit careful, okay?"

"Yeah," Draco promised into the kiss while tugging Harry towards the shower.

* * *

Scorpius sat up promptly when his dream was interrupted by a stray and half-conscious thought – Harry had slept over. He struggled out of bed and hurried out of his bedroom while rubbing his eyes furiously. He heard voices downstairs so he took the steps two at a time. When he got to the kitchen, he was greeted by his father who was plating scrambled eggs and Harry who was sitting on the counter, drinking coffee. The men smiled in amusement at the sight of the bedraggled boy.

"You need ice-cream," Scorpius garbled. He hopped up on the counter beside Harry so he could reach the cupboard where all the bowls were kept. Before he could get one out, he was tugged to the side by the shirt. He ended up plopping down on Harry's lap. He sighed in exasperation and rested his cheek on Harry, closing his eyes. "You don't want ice-cream?"

"Not yet."

"Okay." Scorpius curled into Harry's hug and yawned. "Tell me when you do."

"I will," Harry laughed. Draco simply shook his head in defeat and continued with breakfast. Harry watched on while sipping on his sweet morning pick-me-up. It wasn't often that he found himself actually liking mornings. He felt a surge of emotions rush at him out of nowhere, making him squirm. He tilted his head down to press a soft kiss on Scorpius' forehead.

"Harry."

He glanced up at Draco, noting the man holding out a plate of eggs and toast. He opened his mouth playfully. Draco simply scoffed and set the plate on the counter unceremoniously before turning to get himself his usual breakfast, which consisted of just a slice of buttered toast and an apple. Harry extended his leg and wrapped it around Draco, pulling him back again. Draco clicked his tongue in exasperation and turned to face Harry, cocking his head to the side. Harry smiled impishly as he leaned in for a kiss.

"Cooties," Scorpius whined.

Harry frowned and planted a quick wet one on Draco. Then he kissed Scorpius' cheek. "There. Now you've got cooties too. Nothing we can do about it. No more complaining," he chided.

"Aw man," Scorpius mumbled as his eyes fell shut. "Gross." He burrowed deeper into Harry's arms.

Harry gave Draco a smug smirk. "Problem solved," he said.

"_You're_ the problem," Draco grumbled as he twisted out of Harry's hold and walked over to the opposite counter to get his food. "You've already gotten him into enough trouble as it is."

"What trouble?" Harry frowned. "He isn't getting into any trouble at all. He's a perfect angel."

"I am," Scorpius agreed. "I'm perfect."

"See?"

Draco couldn't do much else but harrumph. Scorpius, in the meantime, was beginning to wake up properly. He waited a few moments so he could work his eyes open. Then he looked up at Harry and raised a hand to press it against the teacher's collarbone. "All better now?" he asked.

"All better," Harry said. "Thanks for tucking me in yesterday, buddy."

Scorpius blushed. He thought Harry had been asleep. "Uh. Um. N-no problem," he stuttered.

"I didn't snore this time around, did I?"

The boy giggled and shook his head shyly.

"I must have been too tired to snore," Harry mused. "Now… What shall we do with Teddy?"

"Nothing," Scorpius suddenly sulked. "Don't do anything with Teddy. He's perfect too. He loves you _so_ much. He said he's sad because now he's got to share you with us and he doesn't like sharing."

"He said that, did he?"

"He just wanted you to be happy, not sad."

"Then I've just got to tell him that I'm happy when I'm with _all of_ you guys, not just him. Does that sound alright?"

"Will you tell him nicely or will you make him cry again?" Scorpius asked while narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"I'll tell him nicely."

"_Very_ nicely?" Scorpius clarified.

"Well… Not _that_ nicely. He was mean to me. I can't be _very_ nice to him."

Scorpius had yet to master the art of diplomacy, so he didn't have a good enough argument to counter Harry's. "Fine," he mumbled. He hoped Teddy wouldn't get too angry with him. "Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Are you going to marry Father?"

Draco dropped his apple in shock, fumbling afterwards to catch it before it fell on the ground. Harry, on the other hand, froze, gaping at Scorpius without pretense. There was silence in the kitchen for a moment. Then came furious head shaking and stammering words of negation from both parties as they talked over each other to make clear that the answer was, "There's no way that's even _possible_, not even if the world was coming to an end because hell froze over."

Scorpius flicked his eyes between the men. "Oh." He was confused, of course. For good reason too. What did people do _after_ they were done dating? He thought they just got married. Maybe he was wrong. What did he know? He was still a kid. He shrugged. "Okay." It was no big deal to him. Patricia said that people got married when they were very happy with each other. He supposed Harry and Draco weren't _that_ happy with each other. They were always bickering and scowling in any case. He stretched in Harry's arms and sat up straighter. "I have to get ready for school," he announced before jumping onto the ground and padding out of the kitchen, leaving the adults to pick up the smoldering remnants of _that_ conversation.

"I uh…"

"It's not that we…"

"I mean, who's to say…"

"Right."

Draco stared down at his apple sternly while Harry picked up the plate of warm eggs and toast. They hesitated for a few seconds before nibbling at their food half-heartedly, neither of them wanting to be the first one to leave the embarrassing situation.

When Scorpius returned a half-hour later, fresh and ready for breakfast, the men were in the same positions, refusing to make conversation. The boy hardly noticed. "Let's go to school together, Harry," he proposed. "I'll help you carry your things."

"Uh, okay. Sounds like a plan."

Then Scorpius turned to his father. "You _have_ to get dressed now, Daddy. Or you'll be late," he said.

Draco got out of there as fast as he could.

Scorpius struggled up onto the counter beside Harry again. "I made Nanna buy me bread and jam so now I can bring sandwiches to school," he beamed. "I make my own lunch now. Do you want me to make _you_ lunch too? I don't have any chocolate spread, but we do have strawberry jam. Or do you want orange marmalade? I like strawberry the best."

"I'll have whatever you're having."

"Awesome!"

Harry then watched Scorpius get a plate and put out six slices of bread before taking out the jam from the cold cupboard and spreading on a thick layer. The boy always worked diligently. He made sure the entire face of the bread was covered in rosy jam, taking care not to get any on the crusts. He had to sit on the counter to do it because he was too short to reach the counter properly if he stood on the ground. Harry couldn't help smiling. "Scorp?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you ask if I was going to marry your father?"

"Because you marry someone if you love them a lot."

"And you wouldn't mind?"

Scorpius glanced back. "Would I mind? Mind what?" he asked.

"You wouldn't mind if I married your father?"

"Why would I mind?"

"For one, I'd be around all the time. And if I'm around all the time, I'm sure you would get sick of me. You and Draco both."

"Oh, I'd _never_ get sick of you," Scorpius exclaimed. "I _like_ having you around all the time. We have lots of fun."

"But imagine living with me for years and years. It's bound to get boring."

"Teddy's lived with you for years and years and _he's_ not bored. I won't be bored either. You're very unboring, Harry."

"I see."

Scorpius put the halves together and placed the three sandwiches on top of each other. "Would you get bored of _me_?" he asked.

Harry chuckled. "I doubt it _very_ much. You're one of the most interesting kids I know." He had a feeling he'd have a hard time being bored of the Malfoys. And, if he did get bored, all he'd have to do is pick a fight with Draco. "You know, if I did marry Draco, I'd be your stepfather."

Scorpius dropped the butter knife on the plate with a loud clatter.

"Oh?" Harry asked good-naturedly. "Not so eager now?"

"S-stepfather?" the boy squeaked. "Th-that's… Really?"

"I'm just teasing you, buddy."

"Oh." Scorpius managed to let out some nervous laughter.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Harry groused. "I'd be a good stepfather."

"O-of course. You'd be great."

"Then what?"

"You're… But you're _Harry Potter_," Scorpius whispered emphatically. "You can't be my stepfather."

"What's Harry Potter got to do with anything?"

"That's _you_, isn't it? You're Harry Potter, aren't you?"

Harry wrinkled his nose. "Because I'm Harry Potter I'm not allowed to be your stepfather? Is that it?"

"I think so…"

"That makes _no_ sense to me."

"It doesn't have to make sense," Scorpius explained. "That's just the way it is."

"Then I can't marry Draco, can I?"

"I… guess not."

"You won't mind?"

"I don't mind."

Harry sighed theatrically. "You don't mind if I marry Draco _and_ you don't mind if I don't marry Draco? _You_ aren't making sense now."

"You just make everything so complicated, Harry," Scorpius tsked. "Here's your sandwich." He held out the plate. "You have to put it in your lunchbox. If you like it, then I'll make you another one for tomorrow."

"How come you get two and I only get one?"

"One of this is for Daddy, Harry. Don't be so hungry."

Harry laughed as he took a sandwich. "Thank you for lunch, Scorpius," he said with a nod.

"You are very welcome."


	25. Chapter 25

Harry sat at one end of the living room by the fire while all the Weasleys who could make it sat on the other side, filling up couches and overflowing onto the floor. It wasn't often that a family meeting was called and it was _never_ Harry who called it. But everyone knew what the situation was, of course. News traveled fast along the Weasley family tree.

"In the past all of you have been so accepting of me," he said. "I want you to try and accept this decision as well."

"You know what Malfoys have done to this family," Percy muttered harshly. "I just don't understand you."

"I know. Of course I know," Harry responded with a sincere nod. "I know what's happened to you and I know how it feels. I also know how things have changed. I know how Draco's changed."

"Are you sure you aren't mistaking his intentions?" Angelica asked. "He's… Well, let's just say he's got a lot to gain with you on his side."

"But you all met his son," Harry tried. "You know what Scorpius is like. He's the sweetest boy, isn't he? And Draco's raised him that way."

"What would you like us to say?" Hermione interjected. "I mean, what do you want to tell us?"

Harry cleared his throat nervously. "I… I'm sure you've guessed it by now," he started. "I want you to give him a chance like I have. I know I don't have the right to say this, but he's… Look, not a lot of people gave him a second chance. He hasn't got anyone except his son. He's… he's alone, you know?"

"Fine. So you sympathize with him," Arthur agreed. "But why do you have to do more than that? Isn't sympathy enough for him?"

Harry blushed. Truth be told, sympathy _was_ enough for Draco. He had been fine with asking for Harry's help and shaking hands on a platonic friendship. Unfortunately, that just wasn't enough for Harry. "I can't really explain what happened there," he mumbled quickly. "But that's not the point here. The point is that everyone is making a big deal out of this when it's not a big deal at all. So I'm dating someone. What's wrong with that? If it wasn't someone like Draco, you guys wouldn't even care, would you? That's prejudiced."

"Oh, don't turn this on us," George grumbled. "You know full well what you're doing. Otherwise you wouldn't have hidden it from us for so long."

"Contrary to what you might think, we didn't just decide to mess with everyone's head one day," Harry scowled. "We've talked this over a lot. We've looked at the positives and negatives. We know what it's like to be scrutinized. And frankly I'm fed up." He sat back and exhaled loudly. "I care about him and it just… it really hurts me when I hear people I'm close to talk about him this way."

"You're being unfair," Hermione pressed.

"I'm not asking you to greet him with open arms or anything," Harry argued. "As long as you aren't hostile or pulling your wands out at him, we're fine. As long as Scorpius isn't feeling uncomfortable, we're fine. Really. He'll stay out of your way. He's fine with that. You won't even know he's around. No more photographs or anything. I promise."

* * *

It was past nine by the time Harry got to the Malfoy Manor. Not a moment passed after Draco had opened the door for Harry to rock forward and slump against him. "Why do you love me, Draco?"

"Not for your melodramatics," Draco drawled as he pushed Harry away and made his way upstairs.

"I've got a million and one problems," Harry bemoaned as he dragged his feet on the steps. "Half of those problems are because of the Weasleys. I'm starting to think you're just a glutton for punishment."

"I told you you'd get nowhere with them, didn't I?"

"But why are they so unreasonable?"

Draco glanced back with a sly smirk as they stepped onto the dimly lit corridor. "They aren't sweet on me, that's why. You're that crazy uncle everyone has in their family. Do you realize that?"

Harry was about to reply with a hotheaded remark when the door to Scorpius' room creaked open an inch.

"Bed, Scorpius Malfoy," Draco warned.

"But Harry," Scorpius whined.

"Now."

"So mean," the boy said under his breath before closing the door with a sharp click.

"Yeah. So mean," Harry echoed for Scorpius' benefit. Draco pulled a face at Harry before continuing to walk to his study. Harry followed, of course. "Anyway, I talked to them and it doesn't look like I'll have to do _too_ much damage control. I mean, they've already had a few months to mull things over. As long as you keep behaving, they'll come around before our birthdays."

"Our birthdays, hmm? That's not for another six months."

"Yeah… They can hold grudges _very_ well. There was this one time five years ago when one of Charlie's friends from Romania-"

"I meant that you're expecting us to still be together in six months."

Harry paused, then frowned. "Um… Sorry?"

Draco invited him into the study and said, "I was just thinking out loud."

"That's not a very nice thing to think out loud about. Why wouldn't I think that far ahead?"

Draco didn't speak until he had sat down on his chair and shuffled through some parchments carefully. Harry felt irritation rising in him the longer he watched Draco, so he turned away and took a sudden interest in the dusty books that sat on massive shelves. Malfoy was getting on his nerves. What had he meant by that? Of course they were going to be together for another six months. They had already been dating for a year. He was pulled out of his silent musings when Draco cleared his throat. He looked back with an air of nonchalance about him. Draco was slowly writing now, his sleeve pulled up so he wouldn't drag it across wet ink. "How far ahead have you imagined?" he asked, his words light and almost uncaring.

Harry's frown deepened. He couldn't help thinking that Draco was jerking him around. "Well, _sorry_ for being sensitive," he snapped. "I'll make sure not to expect much from now on." He harrumphed and turned back to the tomes that he couldn't make heads or tails of.

He didn't see Draco look up and smile.

Since he was a boy, Draco had had to rely on his father's money and status to get what he wanted. At school, he had been revered by the Slytherins. At home, he was the young master. He bought his way into the Quidditch team just as his father had bought his way into the Ministry.

After he had lost everything, if it hadn't been for his closest friends, he wouldn't have been able to get back on his feet. Without his father and mother to protect him, he often didn't know how to interact with people. Astoria was the first one who even attempted to get to know him, overlooking his caustic personality and condescending words. She was the first one to teach him to behave like a reasonably personable human being. And, after she left, he had Scorpius. Holding such a young life in his hands had humbled him considerably as well.

Now along came Harry Potter of all people. The man looked for a fight and he could take anything Draco dished out. He didn't mind the stuck-up Malfoy even though he seemed to prefer the considerate one. In fact, Draco often found himself wondering if he had duped Harry somehow. If Harry would, in fact, wake up one morning and leave like everyone else.

He propped his elbow on the table and leaned his chin on his palm. "Why do you love _me_, Harry?" he wanted to know.

Harry looked at him blankly, then blinked. "Huh?"

"I've got a million and one problems too. Isn't it too much work?"

"Too much work?"

"I'm not the easiest man to get along with. I know that. Astoria made sure I knew before she left me. Is it really worth all this work?"

Harry glanced away. Work. That sounded familiar. He and Ginny had 'worked'. They had worked at their relationship so much that all they seemed to do was work at it instead of enjoying it. But being with Draco didn't feel like work at all. At least, it hadn't until a few months ago. Now he was working harder than ever to keep things going. "I… kind of like this work," he answered hesitantly.

"You think it'll be worth it? In the end?"

"I do. You're worth it."

"Potter."

Harry smiled impishly. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable?" he baited.

"You wish," Draco lied as he returned to his work. Harry always knew how to make him uncomfortable, damn him. He kept on writing even as Harry walked to him. He wouldn't accept defeat. Harry leaned down and wrapped his arms around Draco's shoulders from behind. "I'm trying to work," he mumbled.

Harry rested his chin on Draco's shoulder. "I love… how good you look in suits," he said. "And I love the things you say."

Draco paused and turned to look at Harry. "You should know by now that I don't like to hear stuff like this," he said stiffly.

Harry pulled his arms tighter. "I love the way you carry yourself," he murmured. "I love everything you do for Scorpius. I love how hard you try to be good for your son. And me… I love that you love me. I think it's stupid and I love it."

"Harry…"

"I think I'm starting to love you more than anything in the world."

"Stop."

"Are you scared?"

"I… I just-You should stop."

Harry jerked his arms back, tipping the chair on its hind legs. Draco gasped as his stomach plunged so quick his heart nearly stopped. His hands came up to clutch at Harry and he held on tight while barely being able to touch the ground with the tip of his toes. Harry tilted his head down so he was inches away from Draco. "Are you scared now?" he whispered. Draco's eyes stayed on Harry's lips hypnotically. Harry slowly pitched the chair back even further. Draco let out a shaky breath and squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't reach the ground now. His fingers dug into Harry's arms. Harry smiled when he felt it. "Do you think I'll let you fall?" he asked.

"I don't know…"

"Are you scared?"

"Yes."

"Good. Me too." Harry kissed him gently. "I love you." He stepped forward, pushing the chair upright. Draco let go of Harry and gripped the edge of his desk, trying to catch the breath he had lost. His head was spinning and his heart was running away on him. He looked up when Harry came around beside him. He was still speechless when he was straddled. "You know," Harry drew out, his hands making their way down Draco's chest, "you really do look great in suits. That's not fair."

* * *

Rose and Hugo sat on the floor of their playroom, holding one golden cookie each and examining it with a critical eye. Harry knelt in front of them with an eager beam. The siblings looked at each other after a minute of inspection and nodded before taking a small bite.

"Mmm!" Hugo hummed almost instantly, chewing on the sugary treat with gusto. "Yummy!"

Rose wasn't so quick to give her verdict. She swallowed her first bite and pondered it for a bit. Then she took another larger bite and chewed on _that_, all the while looking off into the corner. Only then did she nod in approval. "This is nice, Uncle Harry," she said.

"I'm glad," Harry told them. "It's the first time I've made cookies and I only had Scorpius to help me. We didn't have any cookie cutters, so they're just round boring ones. But next time we'll make shapes."

"And icing," Rose added. "Icing is awesome."

"Of course," Harry agreed. "It's a very messy job, baking."

"I know. Grandma always has a messy kitchen after we're done baking," she remarked. "But it's fun. I like baking."

"With Scopiush?" Hugo asked after gobbling his cookie and then showing his empty hands to Harry, obviously wanting another cookie now. "Can I come?"

"Next time you can _both_ tag along," Harry said as he held out a cookie for Hugo. "Maybe we can try a cake next?"

"Yeah!" Rose exclaimed. "Chocolate!"

"Of course. That's Scorp's favorite."

"Mine too!"

Not wanting to be outdone, Hugo echoed, "Mine too!"

"Uncle Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you angry with Mummy and Daddy?"

Hugo arched his brows and tilted his head when he heard his sister's question. "You are?" he gushed. "Uh oh."

Harry sighed in defeat. "Does it seem like I am?" he asked.

"Mhm," Rose nodded. "How long are you going to be angry for? They don't like it."

"Did they tell you that?"

She smiled sneakily. "I heard them," she conspired.

"Gif 'em googies," Hugo garbled through his full mouth, spraying crumbs everywhere. He pointed at the tin of cookies to emphasize his point.

"Yeah!" Rose thought it was a good idea. "Give them cookies and then you'll be friends again. It's easy."

"Well, that might work on Ron," Harry thought over.

The three of them looked up at the doorway when they were interrupted by a short cough. Rose blushed brilliantly when she saw her parents standing right there, obviously having eavesdropped on their secret meeting. Hugo grinned to show his brown teeth. Harry held in his chuckle when he noticed Ron's bemused smile and Hermione's incredulous expression. "We need to talk, Harry," she murmured before stepping out into the corridor.

Hugo laughed at his sister's face. "Rosie's in rubble!" he shouted.

"I'm not," Rose snapped. "Uncle Harry is. Not me."

Harry left the two of them to bicker amongst themselves and walked out into the hallway to join his friends. "What do we have to talk about?" he asked them.

Ron let his wife take over. Hermione stood up straight and met Harry's defiant look. "I was just wondering what your plans were for New Year's Eve," she started off by asking.

Harry wasn't expecting that question, so he didn't really know how to answer that. "I'm not sure yet," he said, flicking his eyes at Ron to see what was going on. Ron kept his eyes on Hermione, studiously feigning nonchalance.

Hermione nodded once and took a breath. It seemed like that breath was to calm her nerves and gather up some courage. Now Harry was thoroughly intrigued. "Would you like to join us for the night for fireworks at the park?" she asked.

"Uh…"

"We're taking the children as well. They've never been."

Harry was in a tough bind now. Hermione was waiting for an answer expectantly. "I…" He trailed off. How should he put this? "I was… planning on spending the day with Draco and Scorpius," he hesitated.

"Yes, I know," she said.

"So… I can't come."

"You could bring them along?"

Harry's jaw dropped.

Hermione pursed her lips at his reaction. "You couldn't have _actually_ expected us to pretend like Malfoy wasn't around, did you? We'd hardly ever see you if we did that, Harry. We're trying. Honestly."

"I-I-You… You wouldn't mind?" Harry stuttered. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I just wish you'd give us some credit here," Hermione said with an affected sniff. "We are more than able to behave in a civil manner around him. You know that. You don't have to hide him away or anything. If you're going to be with him, then we've got to meet him. We're your best friends."

Harry couldn't believe his ears. "Ron?" he faltered.

"Whatever she said."

* * *

"No way."

"Draco."

"No way, Potter."

"Please? They're being so nice."

"Harry," Draco said slowly. "I said no."

"But why? We'll be together the whole time. Scorpius will have fun with their kids. And it's just fireworks. What were we going to do that night, anyway? Sit around bored out of our minds."

"Remember the last time we went out together?"

Harry rolled over and frowned at Draco's determined expression that he could clearly make out even though it was dark in the room. He raised his hand, resting his thumb on Draco's chin, just under his lip. "This sounds like a swell idea, Harry," he mimicked as he moved his thumb to make Draco's mouth open and close. "Let's go hang out with your _best friends in the whole entire world_ and have a _fantastic_ New Year's kiss. You're the best, Harry." He let go of Draco's chin with a smug smirk. "Why, thank you, Draco. You're too accommodating. It _will_ be rather fantastic. Goodnight." He rolled over again and pretended to fall asleep.

Draco watched Harry's back for a long while. The word 'infuriating' didn't quite cut it when it came to Potter. He scooted forward and curved his body to fit Harry's shape. "I thought you loved me more than anything else," he whispered.

Harry stifled his sigh. "What's that got to do with anything?" he grumbled.

"Why do you insist on making me miserable? You _know_ I'll be miserable. You shouldn't care what other people think of me," Draco murmured. "It shouldn't matter. If you love me more than anything, you wouldn't make me do things I don't want to do."

"That's not reasonable. Both of us have to change."

Draco made Harry turn around when he heard this. "What have you sacrificed for me?" he asked boldly. "Have I ever made you do anything you don't want to do?"

Harry stared at Draco without saying anything because he just couldn't believe the answer was no. How could the answer be no?

"After last time," Draco continued, "I don't think I'll be able to go through it again. I don't want to watch Scorpius go through that again." He leaned in to press his forehead against Harry's. "Please don't force me to do things I don't want to do."

Harry tucked his head down quietly and nodded as a sudden weight appeared against his chest, making it ache. He couldn't believe the answer was no… Draco had honestly never made him do anything he didn't want to do. Not really. It was always _him_ who was pushing Draco into strange situations that ended up becoming disastrous. He squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't do well with guilt. Of course he was guilty of taking advantage of Draco's hesitance. His stomach rolled. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"Seriously?"

Harry opened his eyes in confusion upon hearing Draco's amused tone. "Huh?"

Draco nudged Harry's chin up so they were at eye-level again. "Have you bowed down to my will, Harry Potter?" he asked.

"Um."

Draco slipped his arms around Harry's neck and settled deeper into his pillow with a yawn. "Why on Earth would I want to sit outside in the cold and watch fireworks? That's not my idea of fun."

Harry realized that Draco had been playing with him. Again. He always fell for it. "But it's true, isn't it?" he reasoned in an attempt to save face. "You've never made me do anything I don't want to do."

"That's because you don't have an opinion on anything and you're too easy to influence. Not my fault I'm more stubborn than you are."

"Oh."

"I never saw the appeal in fireworks, in any case."

"Hmm."

"I don't fancy snogging you in public either."

"Mhm."

"And I don't like your _best friends in the whole entire world_."

"Yeah."

"In fact, I don't _want_ to like them."

"That's not nice."

"Harry."

"Hmm?"

"Are you still going to force me to go?"

Harry didn't feel like it anymore. "No," he sulked. "You're too mean."

"Good," Draco said in triumph. He closed his eyes and gloated.

"I'm inviting them over."

He deflated instantly. "You're what?"

"The morning after, we'll have brunch together. That's alright, isn't it? We won't be outside in the cold and no one will take pictures. There won't be fireworks. You can kiss me all you want the night before. We'll have New Year's brunch together," Harry said. "I'll tell them tomorrow."

"Potter."

"We're going to be eating breakfast in any case. What's wrong with having a few more people to share it with?"

"This is_ my_ house."

"Fine. We'll eat at _my_ place."

"I'm bringing Theo, then."

Harry gawked at Draco. "What?"

Draco scowled. "If you're bringing _your_ best friends along, then I'm bringing mine," he said.

"But Theo's… mean like you."

"That's _my _best friend you're talking about, Harry. It's only fair, after all."

After pulling faces at each other for a few minutes, Harry seceded reluctantly. "But you'll regret it, Malfoy," he muttered.

"We'll see about that."


	26. Chapter 26

Theo realized that he was two hours early but he didn't have anything better to do on New Year's Day. He also realized how pathetic that was but he couldn't be bothered to do anything about it. So he knocked on the door of 12 Grimmauld Place and waited. The street was silent, even at nine in the morning.

That changed entirely when Teddy answered the knock with a wide grin. Theo nearly stepped back as sudden chaos from inside the house spilled onto the stoop and pavement. "Hello!" the young boy greeted. "Theo?"

"Yes," Theo hesitated.

"You're early!" Teddy stepped back to let the first guest in. "We aren't ready yet."

Theo figured when he heard squealing laughs and muffled shouting from somewhere in the house. "Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," Teddy said with a nonchalant wave of his hand. "Harry blew up the kitchen again."

Theo realized that Teddy wasn't exaggerating when he stopped short at the doorway leading into the disaster area.

Flour floated in the air and formed thin layers on _everything_ it landed on. There was batter on the counters, splattered syrup on the walls and cracked eggshells on the floor. In the middle of it all, Scorpius was bent over double, laughing so hard that he could barely breath, covered in sticky goop. He was laughing at the two men who were fighting over what seemed to be a bowl of pancake mix. Harry was losing, evidently.

"No. More. Cooking," Draco exclaimed over the whistling pots and clattering lids that were heating excitedly on the stove. "You'll _poison_ us all."

"Let go!"

"I already told you I'd buy some-"

"I'll cook if I want! Go away!"

Teddy put his fingers in his mouth and whistled sharply, stopping the commotion. Everyone turned to look at him. "Theo's here," he announced, bowing low theatrically. "You may proceed."

Draco quickly got over his shock and directed his anger at his friend. "What're you doing here?" he snapped.

"Uncle Theo!" Scorpius cheered, rushing at the bewildered man.

"Oh no, you don't," Theo said as he staggered back and held his arms out to stop Scorpius from jumping all over him. "You're filthy, little man. You stay away."

Scorpius pouted and turned to his father. "Clean me," he demanded.

Draco glared at Harry one last time before stomping out the kitchen, leaving him to deal with it. He tugged Scorpius along to get him all washed up. Teddy tagged along.

Harry looked around the kitchen in defeat. Theo laughed when he saw that resigned look. "Would you like some help?" he offered.

Harry tilted his head at him dubiously. "Really?" he asked.

"Sure. I'm a fair cook. Better than Malfoy, at least."

So, less than five minutes later, Harry was cleaning up the mess while Theo set the knives to cut all the vegetables and started on scrambling some eggs. Neither of them spoke, not for the longest while. Theo was purposefully waiting for Harry to being a conversation. Harry wanted to start one but he just didn't know how to begin. So they worked on their own tasks for bit.

It wasn't until Harry had straightened up as much as he could that he joined Theo to see how the eggs were coming along. "You can add the mushrooms now," he suggested. Theo nodded and did so carefully, lowering the heat a bit so he wouldn't end up burning the eggs. Harry glanced at him out the corner of the eye. "Nothing to say?" he asked.

Theo smiled down at the steaming pan. "I'm sure everything's been said already," he murmured. "Or would you like to hear it all over again?"

"No. No, thank you," Harry laughed tiredly. "I was expecting it, that's all."

"I think dealing with Malfoy is a task in itself. I'm not going to add to the drama. Don't worry," Theo said as he flashed a sincere smile. "I'm sort of glad, actually. I thought Astoria was the only one who could handle him. I had forgotten about you."

"Well, we never did see eye to eye at school."

"True."

"And… I didn't know you were such great friends with Draco either. Back in school, I mean."

"We weren't."

"Oh?"

Theo shook his head and tasted the mushrooms, deciding on more salt. As he sprinkled some on, he continued. "No. I never liked him in school. He's got an unattractive personality."

Harry hid his smile. Theo had taken the words right out of his mouth. "I hadn't noticed…"

Theo laughed. "It's better now, Potter. Believe me. I can actually talk to him without hearing about the money stowed at Gringotts or Lucius' hold on the Ministry. The war really humbled him. I guess, after all the trials and court dates, I felt sorry for him."

Harry watched the pancake sizzle on the stove. He felt bad whenever he thought of how those days must have affected Draco. He must have felt so lost. "He's changed a lot, huh?"

"You have no idea."

"How did you two mend fences?"

Theo shrugged. "I guess I didn't have anyone either. Mother was never much help. Draco and I needed to trust someone, so we used each other. The rest is history, I guess."

"Hmm."

"And what about you two?" Theo scoffed. "Sunday brunch with the family? That's pretty… um… sad."

"It was _supposed_ to be a night out yesterday," Harry carped. "This was what we finally compromised on. There's a lot of compromising that goes on around here."

"You went from New Year's dinner to brunch?" Theo snorted in derision. "Must have been some compromise."

"As long as Draco isn't seen in public with me, he's happy. Apparently I'm some kind of abomination."

"That horribly disfigured face of yours isn't helping, I suppose."

"Yes. It's hard to get accepted around here with my horribly disfigured face."

Theo snickered while Harry calmly flipped the pancake. "When I first read that Quibbler article," the former went on to say, "I thought it was a hoax."

"Mhm."

"Have you read it?"

"No," Harry said. "Just saw the pictures."

Theo whistled slowly. "Whoever wrote that piece had a _serious_ obsession with you, Potter. If _I_ saw you two out for a day in the park, my first thought would be that Malfoy somehow cursed you and was now forcing you to act like a dope because he threatened to murder your friends."

Harry smirked. "And?"

"This writer here was all praises. Harry Potter this, remarkable that, happy this, loving that, fascinating this, adorable that. Most likely a fangirl of yours. You could have kicked a dog in front of her and she'd have written something like, 'Harry Potter saw a young puppy in distress, being swarmed by billywigs, so he rescued the little thing by stomping the pests away with his magical tap shoes and then puppy grew curly golden fur in an instant, making it the most beautiful creature in all of existence thanks to Harry Potter.' That kind of crap."

Harry could hardly contain his mirth now. He was clutching his stomach as he laughed. "Wh-what else did she write?" he asked eagerly.

"The kids love you and you've changed Malfoy for the better, how it was meant to be and being happy came naturally to you. Flattering things. You wouldn't have been disappointed. Give it a read."

"I'd rather not," Harry sighed, finally able to control his amusement.

"I can't help thinking some of it's true, though," Theo divulged. "I mean… you do have a way of making Scorpius happy. Apparently it's worked with Draco too, if the photographs are any indication of it. I've rarely seen him laugh like that." He glanced at Harry. "You _have _managed to change him."

Harry ducked his head modestly. "I've just made him comfortable around me, that's all. It's not like he's incapable of laughing. It's just that he's self-conscious," he explained.

"Is this alright?"

"It… feels alright. I don't know if it really is alright. Scorpius doesn't mind and Teddy's gotten over it. People have stopped pestering us. Maybe it's alright now."

Theo looked at Harry strangely. "I was asking if the eggs looked alright," he clarified.

Harry flushed bright red. "Ah, oh, um, y-yes," he stuttered. "S-sorry."

Theo stared at Harry for a few uncomfortable seconds. Then he smirked suddenly as he started transferring the eggs into a bowl. "I'm just messing with you, Potter."

When Draco came down a little while later, he found Theo laughing as Harry retold that particularly embarrassing story about how Teddy and Scorpius had split them up with a few well-placed words and tears. Draco scowled at them. Harry never knew when to keep things personal. Theo glanced up at Draco when he noticed the audience, laughing even harder at his friend's expression. "What? It's funny, Malfoy," he snorted. "I told you Squirt's got you wrapped around his finger, didn't I?"

"That's allowed," Draco muttered. "He's my son. He's allowed to affect my decisions."

Theo held his hands up in surrender and nodded. "Alright, of course." He flicked his eyes at Harry after and whispered, "He loves pulling the Father card on me."

Harry guffawed. "I know."

Draco huffed and puffed with his arms crossed against his chest. "Are you two getting any work done or just shooting the breeze?" he snapped.

"We are your slaves, Master Malfoy," Theo gushed. "Please order us to do your bidding." He ducked behind Harry when Draco started rooting through the open drawers for a suitable and preferably sharp projectile to toss towards his friend's direction.

At eleven, Hermione and Ron rang the bell with their children in tow. They were pleasantly surprised when Scorpius and Teddy opened the door, wide grins and all, and the house smelled of warm syrup and apples. "Harry's managed a meal, has he?" Ron asked Teddy.

"He's had help," the boy chuckled. "Come on. We're setting the table now."

Hugo almost instantly slipped his hand into Scorpius'. "Can I sit wif you?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah," Scorpius faltered. He glanced at Hugo's parents and didn't see any kind of odd behavior. "Sure. Let's sit together."

"Me too!" Rose exclaimed. "I ate your cookies that day, Scorpius!"

"Mhm," Hugo nodded excitedly. "So yummy!"

"Next time can we help?"

Scorpius was rather staggered by all this. No one had ever asked him to play with them before, not with this much enthusiasm. So this was what it was like to be an older brother… He now knew what Teddy must feel. "Yeah," he said with an eager smile. "We'll bake together next time."

Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione were making curt introductions with Theo and Draco alongside Harry who was the mediator. "How was last night?" he asked the couple after seating them on one side of the table. Teddy sat beside Ron and Harry took the seat on the other end, by Hermione and opposite Draco. That left Theo to sit next to Hugo. Scorpius was sandwiched between the Weasley kids.

"It was great," Hermione answered. "Each year gets better. The children enjoyed it."

Ron scoffed quietly. "Hugo was passed out by ten, you mean," he mumbled as he poured himself some apple juice.

"Hey," Hugo frowned.

"That's okay," Scorpius told the boy patiently. "When I was your age, I could _never_ stay up for New Year's Day. I was always so sad that I missed it. But when you get older, it becomes easier. There's always next year, right?"

"It was fun," Rose piped in. "We had hot chocolate and sat by the fire. There were fireworks that looked like snowflakes! It was pretty."

"Aw man," Hugo sighed. He always missed the best things.

"Oh, that's nothing," Harry said with a wave of his hand. "You should have been there that time when Uncle George and Uncle Fred lit Hogwarts with _their_ fireworks. We had to cancel _exams_."

"Mhm," Teddy interjected. "It's true. Some of the classrooms still have black marks on the roof where the fireworks went off. It's really cool. You guys will see it when you come to school."

"That was some display," Theo murmured as he cut into his pancakes.

"I know, right?" Harry laughed. "Umbridge's face was the best."

"Serves her right," Ron exclaimed. "She was one crazy hag!"

"Remember her Inquisitorial Squad?" Hermione added.

The adults glanced at Draco who had been minding his own business, eating his toast. He felt their eyes on him and looked up. He had zoned out after hearing 'Umbridge' and now everyone was staring at him. That could only mean one thing. His brows knit together into a sour expression. "Circumstances," he said gruffly.

"Circumstances," Theo echoed in a raspy tone and pulled a comically smug and condescending face, much to Ron's amusement. Hermione covered her laugh with a small cough while her husband didn't even bother.

Draco glared at Harry who quickly dropped his smile and cleared his throat. "Anyway, those were some fireworks, huh? There were dragons and all, did you know that? You'd have loved it, Hugo."

"Dwagons? Oh…" Hugo gasped.

"They were show-offs," Hermione explained to her children, looking at them pointedly. "If you do something that wicked in school, you'll get in _big_ trouble, alright?"

"Indoctrinating the children already, I see," Theo remarked.

"Never too early to start," Hermione retorted.

"Speaking of school," Ron interrupted after swallowing quickly, "heard from Neville, Harry?"

"No. Why?"

"Neville Longbottom?" Theo asked.

"He's my Herbology professor," Teddy answered. "He's pretty cool."

Ron had already continued. "He was pretty worried about you for a while there. Guess he didn't want you to know," he said. "Anyway, he's finally got some time off this summer."

"That's great!" Harry exclaimed. "Gosh, I haven't seen him in so long!"

"How does a badass like him become a Herbology Professor?" Theo wanted to know.

While Hermione glared at him for saying 'that' word (Rose and Hugo had no doubt picked up on it), Ron was chuckling behind his cup. "You don't remember him from before, do you?" Harry smiled. "His boggart was Professor Snape. That's right. Professor Snape. I mean, really?"

Theo was laughing by then. "Oh, yeah," he snickered. "He's the one who broke his arm, eh? With the rememberall."

Everyone looked at Draco again who tilted his head down even further and paid furious attention to his toast.

"What did Father do?" Scorpius asked. There was talk about someone breaking their arm and then all eyes were on Draco. That didn't bode well for him.

"Don't worry," Theo reassured the Weasleys. "Little man already knows his father was a bit of a bully in school."

Scorpius groaned. "You broke someone's arm?"

"No, he didn't," Harry was quick to come to Draco's defense. "It was Neville's first time on a broom and he lost control of it. When he fell and broke his arm, his rememberall fell out of his pocket."

"And then Draco decided it would be great fun to leave it up in a tree," Theo continued despite receiving a glower from Harry. "He never did know what fun was supposed to be. But Harry came to the rescue."

"Oh, oh! I know this part!" Teddy exclaimed, suddenly having caught on. He turned to the children and cleared his throat. "Then Harry, who had _never_ been on a broom in his _entire_ life, soared up like he had been born to fly. Draco was being a great big bully but Harry didn't care. And when Draco threw the rememberall as hard as he could, Harry swooped down until he was a blur and caught it in one go before it could smash against the wall. And _that's_ how everyone knew he'd be the best Seeker ever."

"Wow," Scorpius, Rose and Hugo gaped.

"That was a bit embellished," Harry clarified for the sake of modesty. "But I'll allow it."

"I was only eleven," Draco finally spoke.

"So were we," Hermione stated plainly.

"When's our next game, Harry?" Ron asked. "George and Ginny have been feeling a bit competitive lately."

"Soon, soon," Harry promised. "I'll bring Scorp and Draco along."

"Best not let Draco near a broom. He'd knock you off yours to win the game," Theo jibed.

"Oh, come on," Harry argued despite laughing.

"I'll get some coffee," Draco said quickly, shooting up out of his chair and storming out of the dining room.

"Uh…" Harry stared after him. "Um… Me too," he mumbled, following suit. Draco was already putting the pot out when he made it into the kitchen. "Hey? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, fine."

"Draco… You aren't even speaking to us."

"I didn't know I was required to speak."

Harry turned Draco around. "You said you'd behave," he murmured.

Draco was taken aback. "What? I _am_. What did I do?" he exclaimed.

"I'm actually _trying_ with Theo here. Are you mad because I'm getting along with him and you didn't think I would?"

"Your friends aren't even _looking_ at me, Potter! What do you want me to say? What do you expect me to do? Play nice like Theo? Don't pin this on me!"

"It's called being sociable. You should try it sometimes."

"Does making a fool out of me please you?"

"But you've been in a right mood since Theo showed up! This was our deal, wasn't it? You'd bring your friend and I'd bring mine and we'd be agreeable. You said that would be alright."

"Since when was it alright to gang up on me?"

"You're supposed to have a thick-skin, Draco. That's who you are, isn't it?"

"I'm not allowed to have feelings? I'm just supposed to sit back and take it in front of my son?"

"What's Scorpius got to do with this, Malfoy?"

"Oh, don't you dare…"

Harry shoved Draco back.

Draco blinked rapidly and in disbelief.

When Theo peeked into the kitchen to see if he could get in on some drama, he definitely found himself some. The men were swatting at each other's heads and kicking each other's shins while trying to keep as quiet as possible.

"Um. Hello?" he interjected, pausing the scene for a moment.

Harry and Draco turned their scowls at Theo. "What?" they barked.

"Something the matter?"

"No," Draco snarled as he jerked Harry forward and kissed him hard.

Harry was shocked into compliance, but just for a moment. Then he was beating his fists against Draco's chest, prompting Draco to tighten his hold.

Theo rolled his eyes and walked back to the dining table where Hermione and Ron were looking up at him expectantly. He jerked his thumb towards the kitchen and said, "They're in the middle of a pretty deep make-out session right now. I'll just let them be."

"EW!" Teddy whined while Hermione and Ron turned sickly green. The younger children didn't know what was going on, so they looked frantically from one adult to the next, hoping they got more information that way.

Meanwhile, Harry had managed to pull free and stumble back into the counter, furiously wiping his mouth. Draco stood where he was, arms crossed in front of him and jaw set in determination. "Your friends are antagonizing and prejudiced," he said sharply.

"They seem to like Theo just fine," Harry spat.

"I am _not_ Theo! Why do you keep comparing us? We are _nothing_ al-"

"Well, I'm starting to enjoy his company more than yours at… the moment…" Harry trailed off.

Draco hung his head in defeat. Even his shoulders slumped.

"Uh…" Harry murmured.

"Don't."

"But he's…"

"I said don't, Potter."

Harry brought a hand to his chin, rubbing it absently. "Hmm."

"Just listen to me for _one bloody MINUTE_!"

That's when Harry finally understood. His eyes widened and his anger dissipated into wonder as Draco pinched the bridge of his nose. "Are you _jealous_, Draco?"

"You shut up."

"Is that what this about? I'm getting along with Theo, so you're _jealous_?"

"That's _not_ Theo," Draco growled, pointing a finger at the door leading into the dining room. "_That_ is a blathering _moron_ who's taking a damned _dig_ at me and you're stringing him along. He's a bloody idiot with an ego the size of-"

"You think he's having a go at me?" Harry asked, wiggling his brows impishly.

Draco wrenched at his hair. "Fine. Whatever. Just do whatever you want. I don't care."

Harry reached out and tugged Draco forward by the shirt. "What're you getting jealous for?" he asked. "I kind of really like you, Draco."

"I don't care. I'm supposed to have a thick skin. Say what you want."

Harry felt so guilty that his stomach churned and his smile widened. "I'm so embarrassed for you," he mumbled. "You just threw a tantrum." He rested his hand on Draco's cheek. "I love you so much right now that it _literally_ hurts, and that sucks."

"Good. I hope it keeps hurting," Draco grumbled.

"I might get along better with him, but I still like you better, okay? Don't worry. Okay, Draco?"

"Fuck off."

Everyone sitting around the dining table jumped in fright when they heard sudden clatter in the kitchen as pots and pans seemed to have fallen onto the floor. Hermione looked at Ron with wide eyes, then at Theo. "Are you sure they aren't fighting?" she asked nervously. "Because it sounds like they're fighting."

Theo shrugged. "Didn't look like fighting to me."

Ron blanched. Meanwhile Scorpius was trying to keep the Weasley children calm by pasting on a weak smile and telling them that Harry and Draco did this all the time and that there was nothing to worry about at all.

Less than a minute later, Harry strolled out with a pot of coffee in his hand and an air of nonchalance around him. Draco dragged his feet as he followed while rubbing the back of his head. Harry offered coffee graciously and Draco plopped down deep into his chair, picking up his fork to push his scrambled eggs around.

Theo leaned towards his friend and whispered, "That was quite a show."

Draco flicked his fork into a tighter grip and, with the prongs facing down, slammed it against the table, right where Theo's hand had been a second ago.

"Never mind that," Theo said casually. "Now where did we leave off?"

Nothing went according to plan for Draco that brunch. His toast was dry, the coffee was too burnt, Theo was being a prick, and everyone seemed obsessed with making him miserable. Why had he agreed to this? He could have saved himself the trouble and just kept Theo out of things. He could handle the Weasleys. What he couldn't handle was Theo and his damning, self-involved, _loathsome_ smirk. He should have known. He should never have competed with Harry. Why had he even _tried_? Nothing ever went his way.

He jerked Theo into the living room after brunch was over. Everyone else was helping clean up, but Draco had a bone to pick with his friend. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

Theo pulled his arm free. "What am I doing?" he wanted to know.

"You know _exactly_ what-" Draco broke off with a harrumph. "Just what do you want?"

"Why would I want anything?"

"Then lay off, got it?"

"Lay off of what?" Theo asked, playing dumb and looking down at his fingernails with sudden interest.

"Lay off me!"

"Oh. Is that all? Alright." He moved to leave.

Draco forced him back while exhaling angrily. "Fine. Lay off Potter. Got it?" he muttered.

"Pardon me?"

"Besides, you aren't fooling him _or_ me."

"I have _no_ idea what you're talking about, Draco. Please help me out here," Theo patronized.

Draco stifled the sudden urge to knock a couple of Theo's teeth loose. "Do you just enjoy torturing me?" he asked. "Is that all this is? Because you've succeeded. You can go ahead a gloat now. But just stop doing that with Harry, okay?"

"You never cared with Stori."

Draco blinked at Theo and snapped his mouth shut. That was unexpected. "Uh… Okay," he said.

Theo tilted his head at Draco. "Or didn't you notice with Stori?" he went on to ask.

"I… um… You what? What did you do with Stori?"

"Man, Potter really messed you up," Theo said under his breath as he walked away.

"Wait! What did you do with Stori?" Draco asked in a panic.

Theo was already back in the dining room, being a model gentleman as he floated some of the leftovers into the kitchen.

In the meantime, Ron and Harry were by the sink, rinsing dishes quickly. "That was sort of fun," the former confessed. "Didn't think it would be."

Harry smiled in private. "It was fun because all you guys did was bring up dirt on Draco," he said. "He didn't appreciate it."

"Not like he doesn't deserve it."

"He does have feelings, Ron. I know he's easy to pick on, but-"

"Oh," Theo interjected and butted into the conversation. "Are we talking about Draco?"

"Of course not," Harry chuckled. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Just a hunch. Who else have we been picking on?" Theo winked. "And don't you ever sit still?"

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It means what I said. You've been on the move since I got here." Theo pushed his sleeves up. "I'll wash up with Weasley."

"Oh, come on," Harry scoffed. "You're my guests."

"Well, you've got all of your guests working."

Harry glanced back sheepishly, watching the children reach up on their toes to put their plates on the counter under Hermione's supervision. "Yeah… I guess I do," he murmured.

Theo tugged Harry away from the sink. "It's fine, Potter," he said graciously.

Draco froze on his spot by the door when he was then privy to Theo sliding an absent hand over the small of Harry's back while telling him to take a breather.

It wasn't just jealousy. It was a memory.

On the night of the engagement party Astoria threw all those years ago, Theo had done this. He had rested a hand on her back and gently guided her away from the dishes, telling her she needed to enjoy the party instead of worrying about food.

Draco had _definitely_ not felt the emotions he was feeling now back then.

"Draco."

He snapped out of it, blinking rapidly when he found Harry standing right in front of him, expecting some sort of answer. "Huh? What?" he faltered.

"Do you want dessert?" Harry spelled out. "What are you spacing out for?"

"I… I… uh… No. That's fine," Draco mumbled. Why hadn't he felt jealous when Theo flirted with Astoria? Had he been so confident that nothing would happen? Why wasn't he confident now? Didn't he trust Theo? Or did it have something to do with Harry?

"Hey…"

Draco stared at Harry blankly.

"Look," Harry sighed. "I… This…" He shook his head to himself and looked away, as though trying to figure out what he wanted to say. Then he smiled abruptly and sighed again. "Thanks, Draco." He looked up. "You're always doing nice things for me."

Maybe he just loved Harry more than he had loved Astoria.

That must be it.

He leaned in to press a soft kiss on Harry's lips.

Harry blushed in mortification and stepped away as fast as he could without seeming too conspicuous.

Unfortunately for him, Hugo and Rose were ogling them from a foot away.

"Ah, uh," he stuttered.

"They kissed!" the Weasley kids tattled in unison, pointing their accusatory fingers at the couple and looking back at their parents. "They kissed!"

Ron hunched his shoulders and scrubbed even harder, refusing to turn around, while Hermione got to pull her children aside and chide them for their lack of manners. Teddy covered his eyes with his hands theatrically and Scorpius looked eerily like Harry, blushing himself ruddy and looking everywhere but at a specific person.

Theo actually glanced around though, meeting Draco's eye. They held a silent conversation for just a second. Then Theo smiled in surrender and nodded once, much to Draco's relief. It was just a test.

He really hated tests.

As soon as the guests were gone and the children ran upstairs to play, Harry had yanked Draco back into the kitchen, pushing him against the wall and kissing him passionately. Draco still hurt from that previous kiss Harry had forced him into that had caused his head to smack against the cupboard and send pots and pans flying off the racks, but he wasn't about to deny these obvious efforts, especially not when these obvious efforts included groping hands moving halfway up his torso. "This is for being such a great sport," Harry hummed. "I like you the best."

"Apparently I do too," Draco mumbled into the kiss.

"I love you so much."

"I love you too…"

* * *

**A/N: **I know, I know. I didn't write Teddy's confrontation. Maybe next chapter, like a flashback? :) We'll see. But of course the kid was going to come around. I mean, did any of you think differently? Also I don't know what else to write for this story... I don't really have many more conflicts. And that usually means that I'm working on another story, hee hee. It's Drarry again, but they're in Hogwarts this time. When I post a chapter, I'll let you guys know. Maybe you'll like that one too :D Thanks for all the sweet, sweet reviews! You send my heart a-flutter.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:** Last chapter! :D

* * *

Draco and Harry jerked awake because of the sudden excited stomping in the rooms above them coupled with laughter. Draco groaned in dismay and rolled onto his stomach so he could burrow his head under the pillow while Harry sighed tiredly and rubbed his eyes before searching for the time. He then groaned like Draco did when he noticed it was only six in the morning. "Why is this happening?" he bemoaned while flopping back into bed and curling into Draco.

In the meantime, Scorpius and Teddy had raced to their respective bathrooms to clean their faces, shower, and do their business, which took all of fifteen minutes. Then they raced back out, meeting at the corridor to drip water all over the place. "One, two, three. GO!" Teddy yelled. The two of them ran into their rooms and slammed the door shut.

Harry plugged his fingers into his ears and Draco whined to no avail.

Scorpius struggled to get his shirt on the right way around just as Teddy fell on his side trying to get unstuck from his dratted pants. Scorpius rooted through his entire closet trying to find a matching pair of socks while Teddy had to try three times before his tie came out straight. Less than four minutes later, the two of them skidded out of their rooms and attempted to look nonchalant while brushing their clothes down and patting at their wet hair.

Teddy scrutinized Scorpius' plain grey tee, jeans, and black socks as Scorpius looked over Teddy's button-down shirt, thin black tie and grey trousers. In unison they gave their nods of approval.

"WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP!"

Harry and Draco squeezed their eyes shut in an effort to keep sleeping just to spite the boys.

Teddy and Scorpius arrived in front of Draco and Harry's bedroom, frowning in disapproval at the closed door. Scorpius knocked a few times.

"Go away."

"Time to wake up," Scorpius answered back.

"No, it's not."

"Decent in there?" Teddy called out.

"No."

The boys glanced at each other. Did they want to risk it?

That day, they did.

Harry jumped and sat upright when the door burst open. Draco simply pulled the sheets up over his head, not the least bit surprised. "What do you want?" Harry asked pitifully. "_Please_ let us sleep… It's the _least_ you could do."

Scorpius jumped into bed between the men, pushing Harry out of the way so he could hug Draco tight. Teddy was attempting to get Harry off of bed at the same time despite protests. Scorpius sifted through all the bedclothes to finally get to his father. "Wake up," he whispered. "It's time to wake up now."

Draco wrapped his arm over Scorpius' waist and pulled him close, hiding his face against his son's chest. "No," he murmured.

"But I've got to go," Scorpius whispered.

"I'll miss you more than anything ever."

"I'll try _really_ hard to be sad, Father."

"Don't be a brat."

Scorpius laughed. "It's time to wake up now, okay?" he said. "Time to get _whoa_!" He was yanked backwards and twisted around so he ended up on top of Harry. "What?" he grumbled.

"I'll miss you too," Harry said.

"Well, _I'll_ miss Daddy more than I'll miss _you_," Scorpius snubbed before sticking out his tongue.

"Aw… That's mean."

After a lot of coaxing and whining, pushing and shoving, poking and prodding, the boys got the men to get out of bed and into the bathroom. Then they went downstairs to start making something to eat before their long train journey. Scorpius was so excited that he could hardly stand still, not even when Teddy bopped him on the head and made him spread butter over warm toast. He hopped from one foot to the other excitedly. Hogwarts. It was going to be _wonderful_.

"Teddy?" he said.

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to be a Gryffindor, aren't I?"

Teddy glanced at Scorpius while hiding a smile quite well. "With me?" he mumbled as he cut up some fruits.

"With you and Vicky and Lucy. With all of you. Just like Harry."

"We'll see."

"Because I _know_ all Malfoys are supposed to be Slytherins," Scorpius continued importantly. "But I think I'd made a _great_ Gryffindor."

"And _I_ think you'd make an even _greater_ Slytherin," Teddy remarked.

The boy seemed skeptical. "Won't you mind if I'm not in your house?" he asked.

"Why should I mind?" Teddy chuckled. "You already know how I feel about houses. I think it's a waste of time and a tradition that is much too ancient. I don't see why the Headmistress wouldn't just do away with the whole thing."

Scorpius didn't say anything. He knew how Teddy got when he was on a roll. He didn't want to let his cousin get on that roll. He quietly spread butter and kept hopping from one foot to the other.

Teddy glanced at Scorpius again, this time not bothering to hide his smile. The kid really did know how to read situations. "Shall I let you in on a secret?" he finally conspired.

Scorpius froze and looked up at Teddy with wide eyes. "I like secrets," he whispered, reaching up on his tiptoes and lending an ear.

Teddy stooped down and murmured, "Harry was almost put into Slytherin."

Scorpius gasped theatrically. "What?" He couldn't believe it. "He was what?"

"It's true." Teddy nodded. "He told me when I first started school. He said that the Sorting Hat really wanted him to be a Slytherin. But he said, 'No. I want to be a Gryffindor.' And the hat said okay. See? Even the hat doesn't always know the answer. It'll let you choose."

"Oh…" Scorpius was dumbfounded. This changed _everything_. "Then I just have to tell the hat that I want to be a Gryffindor, right?" he figured. "Hmm."

"It's worth a shot," Teddy agreed. "But I think you are much too smart and cautious to be a Gryffindor. You'll take one good look at all of us and say, 'You're all so stupid and you'll get yourself killed one day if you don't look both ways once in a while.' Gryffindors can be _very_ stupid, Scorpius. Like Harry."

Scorpius snickered. "Yeah. Harry's pretty stupid sometimes," he muttered.

"To be a Slytherin you need to be the best at getting your way. You need to know who's your friend and who isn't. You need to figure out the easiest way through tasks. And even if you don't talk, you need to listen _very carefully_. When I think of Slytherins, I _always_ think of someone like you, Scorp. You're a perfect little snake."

"Hey!"

Teddy laughed as he wrapped an arm around Scorpius' shoulder and pulled him close. "No matter what house you're in, we'll hang out. Promise?" he asked.

"Whatever," Scorpius harrumphed despite giving Teddy a quick squeeze. "You aren't allowed to call me a snake anymore."

"Yet another name to add to my list," Teddy sighed.

"Besides," Scorpius continued, "You're always hanging out with Vicky."

"I'm not."

"I bet she's _so tired_ of you hanging around her."

"She's not."

"I bet she's too nice to say anything."

"She would never."

"I bet you like her a lot, huh?"

"So what if I do?"

"So nothing," Scorpius smiled impishly.

Teddy grumbled this and that under his breath.

Harry strolled in with a hand hiding his yawn and his eyes squeezed shut against it. "Gosh, you two already started?" he garbled, hugging Scorpius with one arm and pressing a kiss against his forehead. "You sure must be excited."

"With good reason," Scorpius piped in.

"Good reason indeed," Harry chuckled as he started to make a pot of tea for everyone. "Man, it's going to suck with you two gone."

"We know," the boys said in unison. Teddy shoved a bowl of fruits into Harry's hands firmly, tilting his head down as he did so to look at his godfather in a pointed manner. Harry winked back and smiled. He knew Teddy was telling him not to miss them _too_ much. He'd try, but it'd be hard for the first couple weeks.

He accepted a plate of buttered toast from Scorpius as well. "How's Snow doing?" he asked.

"She's nervous," Scorpius murmured. "But she'll be okay when she gets to Hogwarts. She just doesn't like excitement." He had received an owl on his tenth birthday and it had soon become his most prized possession. Being in charge of a life was both daunting and incredible to him. He took exceptionally good care of his bird. But that meant that Snow was a rather spoilt owl. "And she'll make lots of friends too, so she should be alright. I'm sure she will be."

Harry nodded to reassure Scorpius.

An hour later, they were walking down the station platforms amongst Muggles who tried not to stare at the strange rattling luggage in the trolleys.

"Are you _sure_ I've got everything, Teddy?" Scorpius asked for the umpteenth time.

"Yes, Scorpius," Teddy replied for the umpteenth time.

"Father, are you _sure_?"

"Yes, Scorpius," Draco sighed as he pushed the cart.

"Harry-"

"Yes, Scorpius. I'm sure," Harry smiled down at that boy and arched a brow. "If you _did_ forget anything, I'll just owl it to you, okay? Don't worry."

Scorpius worried his lip and nodded. "I'm nervous."

"Understandably."

They had gotten there so early that they were one of the first to walk through the barrier onto Platform 9 ¾. Scorpius, who had been guided along by his father, stopped short to gawk at the enormous red train engine he saw before his eyes. "The Hogwarts Express," he breathed in disbelief.

"Come on." Draco tugged Scorpius along the platform that was a bit hazy and rather empty for the moment. Teddy was quick to snag a bench by placing his caged and hooting owl atop it. Harry looked around in nostalgia. He missed those days all too often. He glanced back at the Malfoys who were straggling because the little one had a million and one questions to ask about everything he saw. It was just past eight and the rush would begin any minute now.

"Harry," Teddy said to catch his godfather's attention.

"Hmm?"

"Hey."

He tilted his head in puzzlement as he smiled. "Hi," he hesitated. "What's up?"

Teddy took a breath to keep his nerves about him. "I just… That is… Um…" He paused to take another breath. He rarely stumbled around Harry. "I'm glad, you know."

"Glad you're almost done with Hogwarts?"

"Oh, don't make me say it," Teddy complained as he crossed his arms against his chest defensively.

Harry laughed in disbelief. "I-um… What are you glad for, Ted?"

"For you two. Sheesh."

"Ah," Harry understood. "Right. _Us two_. Mhm."

"I know I've never been big fans of this business," Teddy hurried to say. "But I think you two are alright, you know? In my books and all."

"I'm glad to hear you say it… Finally…"

Teddy frowned at Harry's patronizing smile. Was it his fault that he didn't like the idea of sharing Harry with other people? Harry was his _favorite_ person in the whole world. What right did the Malfoys have staking their claim on him? It just wasn't fair and he had made sure to make life miserable for the two for over four years now, every time he was back for holidays.

No more of that.

Now he was a mature adult. He could deal with this.

* * *

"_Godda-" Draco caught himself by snapping his teeth shut angrily when he found himself facing the door that had been slammed in his face. He spun around on his heel and glared at Harry as he stormed through the corridor, muttering, "I can't handle him right now."_

_Harry was torn between chasing after Draco and knocking on the door to Teddy's room. He chose the latter a moment later, but only after stomping his feet in exasperation. "Teddy. Open up? Please? What's wrong?" he called through the door._

_Teddy wrenched the door open. "I don't want him in my house!" he raged loudly. "Why is he always in my house? Make him leave! Now!"_

_Harry was still not used to working with a volatile fourteen-year-old boy. "We've talked about this so many times," he tried to reason. _

_Fourteen-year-old boys don't listen to reason._

"_No!" Teddy snapped. "You've talked at me all those times. You've never listened! You're not listening to me!"_

"_He asked you to wash the bloody dishes, Teddy Lupin! And if he asked you to do the dishes, you will do the dishes!" Harry burst out as his frustration got the better of him._

_Teddy's face screwed up and he looked like he was about to cry. He slammed the door shut in Harry's face before he could make a scene. Harry groaned in dismay and hung his head. What was he doing wrong?_

"_STOP BEING MEAN TO TEDDY!" Scorpius screamed at the top of his lungs, nearly scaring Harry out of his skin._

* * *

"Are you thinking about that time?" Teddy asked suspiciously while narrowing his eyes.

Harry quickly wiped his faint smile off his face and said, "Nope. What time?"

The young man knew he'd never live that time of his life down. He didn't press on, however. "Anyway, I just wanted to say that I'm glad he makes you happy," he grumbled.

"And I'm glad to hear you say that," Harry assured his godson. "Really."

The Weasleys arrived ten minutes later. It was Lucy's first day as well. Percy and Audrey fretted over their daughter while Rose and Hugo skipped over to say hi to Scorpius and pet Snow. Victoire sidled towards Teddy who tried to look nonchalant. Ron and Hermione greeted Harry and Draco with warm smiles. The platform was soon filled with loud yelling and laughs as friends met eagerly and parents rattled out last minute details to their children.

"Rose threatened to run away last night," Hermione said tiredly.

"Again?"

"Oh yes. This time she was going to run off to Hogwarts. In a suitcase."

"I see," Harry snickered.

Meanwhile Teddy was scuffing the ground with his shoe as Victoire studied her nails ardently. Scorpius moved a few steps away, taking the little Weasley kids with him, so they could have their privacy.

"So," Victoire started.

"Hmm."

"Did you…"

"I… um… No."

She nodded twice. "That's alright." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "I… told Mum."

Teddy grimaced as he instinctively looked over to Fleur and Bill, only to find them staring at him intently. He quickly whipped his eyes down to the ground. "A-and?" he stuttered.

"And nothing," Victoire smiled. She brushed her hand over his. "Did you have a good summer?"

"I-um…" He fiddled with his tie for a moment before plucking up the courage and pressing a fleeting kiss on her lips. She smiled brightly afterwards as he stumbled over his words.

Scorpius returned his attention to Hugo's excited story once he had seen Teddy's flustered kiss. He had been right after all! He loved being right. It wasn't often that he saw Teddy lose his suave ways. He always did when he was around Victoire, though. Not that Scorpius could blame him. Victoire was the prettiest girl _ever_.

"And Scorpius?"

"What is it?" he asked Rose.

"Next year, we'll go together, won't we?" the girl asked shyly.

"Of course we will," Scorpius grinned. "We'll hang out all the time when you come to Hogwarts."

"Me too!" Hugo interjected. "With me too!"

"And with you too," Scorpius laughed. "I'll miss you guys. You need to write to me, okay?"

"Okay," the children agreed in unison.

Before they knew it, it was time to board. Harry helped Scorpius with his bags and trunk, settling him down in one of the empty compartments with Lucy who was already being helped by Bill. "Excited?" he asked needlessly.

"Yeah!" the kids cheered.

"Remember to eat at least _some_ vegetables, okay?" Harry said, cocking a head at Scorpius.

"I'll try."

"And write every week?"

"Mhm."

Harry leaned forward and hugged Scorpius tight. "I love you so much. I'll miss you so much. Make sure you have loads of fun for me," he murmured.

"And _you_ make sure you have loads of fun at school too," Scorpius told Harry. "You'll have to write all about it. Okay?"

"Sounds like a plan."

The train was filling up quick as Bill and Harry hopped off. Draco stood by the window, leaning against the ledge to talk to his son.

"Father?" Scorpius added, moving up closer to the window and beckoning for Draco to do the same.

"What else?" Draco asked as he wrapped his fingers over his son's and squeezed him once for good luck.

"Make sure Harry isn't too sad when we're gone, okay?" the boy whispered. "He likes to pretend he's okay."

"And _you_ pretend to be eleven years old," Draco retorted with a derisive snort. "Sometimes I wonder about you."

"When I come back, I'm going to be awesome like Harry," Scorpius boasted. "Just you wait, Dad."

"I'll be waiting."

"I love you."

"Love you too. Write to me as soon as you get there?"

"I will."

Meanwhile, Teddy had pushed his luggage onto the train and was getting on himself.

"Hey, Teddy."

"What?" He turned to look down at Harry.

"Careful when you open your trunk."

The boy frowned. "Huh? Why?" He tried to remember if he had accidentally put something breakable at the top.

Harry winked instead of answering.

Teddy's eyes glazed over and his cheeks grew red. "Wh-what?" he stammered, his words muffled by the train whistle. He clutched the handles on either side of the hatch with pale fists and leaned towards the platform. "What did you say, Harry?" he rushed. The train jolted forward without warning, causing him to jerk and tighten his grip.

Harry shrugged. "I wasn't using it."

"Merlin," Teddy exhaled as he leapt out of the train and threw himself at Harry. "Thank you," he whispered hurriedly. "I love you so much. Oh my goodness! Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"I know, I know," Harry chuckled as he tried to push his godson away. "Get back on the train, you lunatic. Don't get in trouble."

"I know. I won't," Teddy promised after letting go of Harry, walking backwards as the train pulled out of the station. "I won't get into trouble, okay? I _swear_. Thanks, Harry. You're the best. I love you!" He hopped onto the train and waved furiously while grinning like a maniac.

"What was _that_ all about?" Draco asked incredulously. He kept an eye on Scorpius' tiny hand waving out the window. He had a feeling his son would have a better time at Hogwarts than he ever did.

"Nothing," Harry murmured, pushing down the lump in his throat as he waved goodbye. He knew he was being sentimental, but he always felt this way when Teddy left. And now Scorpius was off as well, about to get into loads of trouble with his cousin and learn fascinating magic. He just wished it didn't have to be for five months at a time.

"Another year," Bill said.

A few minutes later, he and Draco had finished saying goodbye to the Weasleys and were walking back down King's Cross station to go home. Draco noticed that Harry wiped his eyes discreetly at least three times and he stifled his frustrated mutter. Sometimes Potter's emotions got the best of him and, unfortunately, most of those emotions came out in public.

Harry wallowed in his memories and sighs all the way home. It got even worse when he got home, in fact. He opened the door and realized that all he heard was silence. He paused in the foyer for a second. From now on, when he got finished school, Scorpius wouldn't be walking home with him. They wouldn't be doing homework together in the study. They wouldn't be reading in the drawing room. They wouldn't be making dinner for Draco. He wouldn't get to hug the boy goodnight. He had forgotten what it felt like to walk into an empty house. This was what he had felt since Teddy started school. He had just forgotten the feeling when Scorpius came along. Now it stung more than ever.

He jerked out of his musings as he was spun around, causing him to lose his balance and bump into Draco. He was too stunned to say anything.

"I'm still here, Potter," Draco whispered before he kissed Harry deeply. "And, for the first time ever," he added while guiding Harry backwards through the hall, "we've got the house to ourselves."

"Y-you've got work."

"I took a half day, remember?"

"Uh…"

"It's not half day yet." Draco pushed Harry into the living room. "And since I've got some time to spare…"

"Oh no," Harry breathed as he was shoved onto the couch. He barely had time to brace himself. "Oof," he grunted when Draco practically fell atop him, pinning him to the cushions. "Dra-mph!" He was kissed into silence. He didn't struggle, however. He simply gave up and slid his arms around Draco's waist, smiling in defeat. Malfoy sure knew how to cheer him up.

"We can do whatever we want. Right?"

"Mhm," Harry nodded. "Whatever we want."

"So don't look like it's the end of the world," Draco mumbled while kissing Harry's neck. "Because it's not."

"I know that."

"They'll be back before you know it."

"Mhm."

"Until then we'll do this."

"Draco…"

"What?"

Harry reached up and pressed his hand against Draco's cheek. "I really do love you. _So_ much," he murmured.

Draco blinked once and then his mouth went slack and he paled. "Oh shit," he swore in dismay before rolling off of Harry to flop down onto the couch. "Shit, shit, _shit_! Stori's going to kill me!"

Harry stared up at the ceiling, thrown by the sudden change in topic. "Um… What? Why?" he asked.

"Because I was supposed to take a bloody photograph or something like that. Damn it!"

"Oh!" Harry gasped. "Why didn't you tell me? Shit!"

Draco rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms. He had forgotten all about that amidst the rushing and excitement.

"Hey, maybe Percy got a picture of Lucy and Scorp. Audrey had her camera with her, remember?" Harry rushed.

"You've got to save me, Potter," Draco blurted out. "You've just got to."

"I'll ask, I'll ask."

"Damn it, she's so unreasonable!"

"_She's_ the unreasonable one for wanting a picture of her son? Sure, Draco," Harry drawled.

Draco exhaled loudly and threw his arm over his eyes. "Potter," he mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just like to say your name when I'm pissed off."

"That's mean. You're mean."

"Am I now?" he smirked.

"You _are_." Harry hovered a hand over Draco's hip. "And what was that about a half-day?"

"Yeah… What was that all about?" Draco chuckled. He slipped his fingers between Harry's. "I love you too, hmm?"

"Oh?"

He rolled over top of Harry without warning, pinning him against the couch once again. Harry smiled at him while turning his nose up smugly. "So tell me," Draco said as he slid his thumb over Harry's cheek. "Why was Teddy so damned pleased with you? Huh?"

Harry turned his head to press a kiss on Draco's hand. "I… might have given him the Invisibility Cloak," he murmured.

Draco stilled his hand in shock. "What?" he exclaimed. "I never got to try it!"

"Maybe he'll share."

"Potter! That's _not_ fair! You _know_ he won't."

"He'll share with Scorp and Scorp will share with you. No big deal."

"That's favoritism," Draco scowled. "I resent that."

"On my part or his?" Harry teased.

"He's learnt it from you! You two are practically the same person."

"Good. Teddy is like me and Scorpius is like you. One small happy family." Harry winked at Draco. "And you really aren't doing much considering that speech about how the children aren't home and all."

"You keep ruining the mood," Draco tsked. "Stop talking."

"Alright."

"In fact, just lie there and do nothing."

"If you say so," Harry grinned.

"Good," Draco groused under his breath. "At least you've started listening to me now."

"You have trained me well, Mr. Malfoy."

"Ugh. Just… shut up, Potter. You're disgusting."

_An hour later…_

Harry rested his head on his curled arm as he watched Draco, who sat on the edge of the couch, pull on a shirt. He clicked his tongue in a disgruntled fashion the whole time too to show how he felt about Draco's weekend working schedule. Draco finally acknowledged Harry's wordless complaints by glancing at him with an arched brow.

Harry sighed loudly and wrapped his arm around Draco's waist. "Don't go," he said. "I want you to stay."

"Ah, of course. I'll just call up work and let them know that Harry Potter wishes me to stay home today," Draco drawled.

"They'd let you."

He scratched his chin in thought. "Yeah. They probably would," he seceded.

Harry smiled to himself and hid his face against Draco's side so he wouldn't see that smile and get mad. "I could get used to you, Malfoy," he mumbled.

"Good to know." Draco wove his fingers through Harry's hair absently. "What do you want to make for dinner? Need me to get anything?"

"Nah. I'll grab stuff if I need to. You just hurry off to work and hurry back."

Draco laughed. "We've got five months," he reminded Harry.

"That's a long honeymoon, huh?"

Draco traced the shell of Harry's ear and mouthed 'honeymoon' to himself before grinning. He couldn't have heard wrong. "Did you just say 'honeymoon'?" he wanted to make sure.

Harry pursed his lips. "No," he mumbled. "That would have been embarrassing."

"_Very_ embarrassing."

"So I didn't say it."

Draco moved his hand under Harry's chin and made him look up. "Feel like marrying me?" he smirked.

"You wish," Harry scoffed.

"It'd be simple," Draco continued, leaning into Harry and making him lie down on the couch again. His hand was splayed on Harry's chest, holding him still. "Feel like it now?"

"Never."

"Five years with me is plenty."

"Plenty," Harry echoed.

"What's five more, huh?"

"Hmm," Harry chuckled as he arched up to kiss Draco. "Go to work. See if I care," he whispered.

"You won't care?"

"Nope."

"You know… sometimes I love you so much it literally hurts."

Harry scowled at Draco's falsely placating smile and proceeded to kick him off the sofa. "I said go away," he huffed. He curled up on the cushions, taking up all the room and pulled the thin sheet up to his shoulder. "I'm going to take a nap." He closed his eyes purposefully.

Draco shook his head in amusement as he shuffled out of there to have a quick shower before work. He wasn't just teasing Harry. Sometimes it really did hurt. Sometimes, when he woke up in the middle of the night and saw Harry sleeping soundly next to him, his chest ached and his stomach churned. Sometimes, when Harry pressed up close to him just right, his head pounded and he would become breathless. Potter would be the death of him, he just knew it. He couldn't help thinking that he had somehow tricked Potter; that he had used Scorpius to somehow trick Potter.

He was feeling a bit insecure now that the young boy was gone. Now Harry won't be sharing his time, he'd be spending all his extra time with Draco instead of Scorpius. What could that lead to? What if he didn't like Draco afterwards? What if…

Draco shook his head as he got into the shower. He was starting to sound like Astoria.

* * *

"_What's going to happen when Scorpius goes to Hogwarts?" she argued heatedly. "What's going to happen to both of you? What? You'll realize that all you have in common is Scorpius and then what?"_

"_That's not all we have in common," he muttered under his breath._

"_He's taken by how you are with Scorp, that's all. He hates your guts, Draco! He always has and always will. You two are just… too different. And when it's just the two of you, it won't work. When there's no one else between you, it won't work." She pressed her cold hand against his. "You'll get hurt, Draco. And if you hurt Scorpius, I'll…" She stopped herself._

"_Harry isn't like you…"_

"_You don't know that."_

"_I do know that. Even if I don't know anything else, I know this. I know that if something goes wrong, he'll work to fix it. He won't hurt Scorpius. He couldn't. If anything, we'll just end up hurting him. Okay?"_

"_Why are you making this hard for yourself?"_

"_I… I don't know."_

* * *

So he just had to work at it with Harry. That's all. It would be easy work and everything would be fine. He'd show Astoria. He'd show everyone. Even if he had tricked Harry into loving him, he could keep on tricking him. It would be easy work.

When he came downstairs again, he could hear sizzling sounds in the kitchen and smell hard spices that made his nose tingle. Harry was cooking lunch. He was doing up his tie when he walked into the kitchen.

Harry glanced up at him with a faint smile that faded quite quickly as his eyes widened. Draco paused and frowned in confusion. Harry snapped his head forward and glared at the saucepan diligently. "Um…" Draco mumbled as he inspected himself. Nothing seemed amiss. He looked at the back of Harry's head again. Understanding dawned on him just a second later when he caught the man's bright red ears.

He had a thing for suits.

Harry kept stirring the onions in the pan, forcing himself not to look back again. This was rather mortifying, this weakness of his. The worst part was that Draco wore a suit nearly every single day for work. How was that fair?

He jumped in fright when arms snaked around his waist. He felt Draco's breath against his neck. "I-I'm cooking, Draco," Harry mumbled.

"I see that," Draco said. "And what are you blushing for?"

"I'm not."

"You are. See?" He brushed his fingers against Harry's cheek.

"Don't make fun of me."

Draco sighed loudly as he hugged Harry close. "I won't," he replied. He titled his head down and kissed Harry's neck. "I won't make fun of you. But… did you just get hard?"

Harry spun around, using his elbow to try and catch Draco's ribs. But Draco was faster. His fingers wrapped around Harry's wrist, yanking his arm away. Harry gasped in pain as he ended up standing chest-to-chest with Draco, his hands restrained behind his back, making him arch up to lessen the discomfort. "Let me go, Malfoy," he hissed.

"Why?" Draco asked before stealing a kiss. "The kids aren't home. I can do whatever I want." He twisted Harry's arm, causing him to go up on his toes reflexively. "I can look good if I want. And you can stare at me for as long as you'd like to."

"Stop trying to prove your point," Harry scowled.

"What point?" Draco murmured as he loosened his hold on Harry. "It's our honeymoon, isn't it?"

Harry's eyes flitted across Draco's face. He didn't know what was happening anymore. "That's-I-Wh-what?" he stammered, turning bright red again.

"It's the first time we've been alone."

"So?"

"So…" Draco nuzzled Harry. "Stare at me as much as you want, okay? I don't mind."

"Draco," Harry groaned. "Don't say things like that."

"I mean it."

"It's embarrassing."

"I know."

"You're stupid."

"I know… Your food's burning."

Harry swore as he spun around and grabbed his wand off the counter to put the fire out. He was turned around again and kissed passionately by Draco who made his back arch and lose his breath. Harry staggered back in a daze as soon as he was let go. What was happening?

"Got to go," Draco winked. "See you in a bit, Potter."

"I-I um… I-Y-yeah," he stammered. "Bye." He stared at the swinging door for a beat. Then he whipped around and dropped his head in his hands, scrunching his eyes shut. "Damn it, Malfoy…" He allowed himself to smile in mortification behind his palms. "You're so stupid."

**Fin**

* * *

**A/N:** And that's that! Wow! Thank you for being awesome and hanging in there with me through this story! Your reviews really do push me along. I'm so glad you enjoyed the story :D You guys are the reason I write, after all!


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